SIR LEWIS HAMILTON has opened up about his friendship with Sir Jim Ratcliffe ahead of a potential Manchester United takeover.
The seven-time Formula One world champion, 38, was part of a consortium that failed in an attempt to buy Chelsea following Roman Abramovich’s departure last year.
Ratcliffe, 70, also failed in his last-gasp attempt to buy the Blues before Todd Boehly took over at Stamford Bridge.
Instead, Britain’s richest man turned his attention to Man Utd and expressed an interest in buying the club just a few months later.
Hamilton, who is close friends with Ratcliffe, hinted that he wanted to work with the Manchester-born businessman in September, fuelling rumours that he could be involved with the potential takeover.
Ratcliffe’s company, INEOS, is a one-third equal shareholder in the F1 team alongside Mercedes-Benz AG and Toto Wolff.
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But Hamilton, who is an Arsenal fan, has admitted that he doesn’t know much information on the attempt to buy United.
He said: “I’m very close with Jim so I’m aware of where he is at and we talk a lot about football as he’s very passionate about it.
“We have great discussions about whatever his team is doing.
“We talk about how Arsenal is playing, obviously he’s from Manchester so that’s his dream home, it’s where he’s come from, but there’s no further information I can give you on that.”
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Hamilton dismissed all F1 retirement rumours on Wednesday during the launch of Mercedes’ brand-new W14.
He said: “I know I’ve been here a long time. It’s the combined energy of all the individuals in the team.
“I love being a part of a team that’s working towards a common goal. I continue to love racing, I think that’s never going to change as it is part of my DNA.
“I always believe that I can get better. I always love that challenge of the mental and the physical element of it and having to deep dive and see how you can extract more performance.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
