Following the revelation that Lewis Hamilton may be participating in a Chelsea takeover offer, Max Verstappen made a cheeky jab at his Formula 1 rival.
Sir Martin Broughton’s team hoping to buy the Blues has chosen seven-time world champion and tennis sensation Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion.
Hamilton, who is preparing for Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, has made it clear that he is an Arsenal fan on several occasions, and his adversary Verstappen couldn’t help but mock the Brit.
“I am a PSV fan and I would never buy Ajax,” Verstappen said.
“And if I was going to buy a football club I would want to be the full owner and to take the decisions myself, not own just a tiny percentage.
“I thought he was an Arsenal fan? And if you are an Arsenal fan going for Chelsea, that it is quite interesting.
“But everyone does what they want with their money so let’s see what comes out of it.”
Broughton feels his offer would provide Chelsea with the most cash influx in the shortest amount of time.
The club is currently subject to a variety of limitations as a result of the sale from Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich. Following the Ricketts family’s decision to withdraw from the bidding process, three consortia remain in the running.
In Formula 1, the move is comparable to Hamilton purchasing a stake in Red Bull after achieving so many of his best driving accomplishments with Mercedes.
Hamilton has already stated that it is “impossible to fathom life without racing,” but he must now consider his alternatives for the future. The Silver Arrows player has expressed an interest in fashion by designing his own clothing line for Tommy Hilfiger, which could be a viable option to pursue.
However, with a season and a half left on his Mercedes deal, any distractions could be detrimental to his driving. The veteran is presently in fifth place, one place and three points ahead of Verstappen, who has failed to finish two of the three races this season.
After a rough pre-season, Hamilton has only managed one podium finish and has struggled with Mercedes’ W13 car. The season continues on Sunday with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, where Hamilton won for the first time in 2020.
Verstappen, who is in sixth place, is relieved to see his former karting rival Charles Leclerc doing well, with the Ferrari driver leading by 34 points at the top. When asked if Mercedes’ troubles this season have disappointed him, Verstappen said he was more interested in concentrating on the current leader.
“It is good to have two young guys fighting up the front in different cars, and it is good for Formula One that the young guys are taking over a bit. It just shows that it is hard to get things right,” Verstappen said.
“Sometimes you nail a certain regulation and it always seems like you know and understand why that is.”
“But clearly that is not always the case. Sometimes it is hit and miss, and with these new regulations Ferrari have started really well. Now it is up to us to close the gap.”
