Lewis Hamilton has made a shock move into sports team ownership with the NFL’s Denver Broncos.
The seven-time Formula One world champion has joined the Broncos’ new ownership group led by the Walton-Penner family, who last month entered into a sale agreement with the Pat Bowlen Trust worth a reported record fee of $4.65billion, pending approval from the NFL.
The likes of former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have already joined the group in recent weeks.
“We're delighted to welcome Seven-Time Formula One World Champion Sir Lewis Hamilton to our ownership group,” said Rob Walton, the billionaire heir to the Walmart fortune.
“He is a champion competitor who knows what it takes to lead a winning team and a fierce advocate for global equality, including in his own sport.
“With over 100 race wins, Lewis is considered the most successful F1 driver of all time. His resilient spirit and standard of excellence will be an asset to the ownership group and the Broncos organization.”
The Broncos are one of American sport’s marquee franchises and among the most successful in NFL history, having reached a total of eight Super Bowls - winning three. They have also won eight AFC Championship titles and clinched the AFC West division crown no fewer than 15 times.
However, Denver is currently in the midst of a long playoff drought, having failed to reach the post-season at all since their memorable Super Bowl 50 triumph that came in 2015 with the legendary Peyton Manning under centre.
It’s been all change for the Broncos over recent months, with a new ownership group joined by a new head coach in former Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, the successor to Vic Fangio, and a new franchise quarterback in the form of nine-time Pro-Bowler Russell Wilson, who arrived via a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks in March.
Congrats @LewisHamilton
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) August 2, 2022
Winning is a Habit! #LetsRide https://t.co/Rz3P4AS4it
Reacting to the announcement regarding Hamilton, Wilson, who has attended a number of F1 races since 2018, including in Monaco earlier this year as a special guest of Hamilton’s Mercedes team, tweeted: “Congrats Lewis Hamilton. Winning is a Habit! #LetsRide.”
Excited to join an incredible group of owners and become a part of the @Broncos story!! Honoured to work with a world class team and serve as an example of the value of more diverse leadership across all sports. Roscoe already thinks he made
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) August 2, 2022
the team 😂 #LetsRide 🐎🔥 pic.twitter.com/TSLQdPM8Hz
Hamilton then tweeted alongside a picture of beloved dog Roscoe in a Broncos jersey: “Excited to join an incredible group of owners and become a part of the Broncos story!!
“Honoured to work with a world class team and serve as an example of the value of more diverse leadership across all sports. Roscoe already thinks he made the team. Let’s Ride!”
