Seven-time F1 champion and member of NFL team's ownership group checked in on his investment this week in the United States.
This week’s trip to the United States for the annual Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix gave seven-time series champion Lewis Hamilton a chance to check in on one of his more recent sporting ventures.
Now part of the ownership group of the National Football League’s Denver Broncos, Hamilton attended the Denver’s 19-16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in L.A. on Monday night. The game gave Hamilton an up-close-and-personal look at the the world’s “other” football.
And, like just about any other fan, Hamilton came away with a few ideas on his new favorite team’s needs.
“That experience was incredible, to just be in that huge arena,” Hamilton said. “Firstly, the stadium is amazing, but just to see a different group of fans, but all with the similarities of the fans that we have here, just passionate about their team, right on the edge of their seats for every single play.
“And then for me, just like speaking to the coach, speaking to the players, and speaking to the rest of the owners, about the takeover, about the challenges that we have, the things that we need to improve on, like our offense. Our defense is really strong, but our offense is quite weak at the moment.”
Lewis Hamilton is part of the Denver Broncos’ ownership group.
Jared C. TiltonGetty Images
Hamilton is part of a consortium that has purchased the Broncos earlier this year for a record $4.65 billion.
The principal owners are Walmart heir Rob Walton and his daughter and son-in-law. The deal was was unanimously approved by NFL owners and transferred of the team from the family of the late team owner Pat Bowlen, who died in 2019.
The deal is the largest for any professional sports franchise, eclipsing the $2.4 billion shelled out by billionaire hedge fund manager Steven Cohen to purchase the New York Mets baseball team in 2021.
Hamilton got a chance to see the team’s $245 million quarterback, Russell Wilson have another night where he didn’t exactly live up to contract. Wilson has thrown just five touchdown passes in six games for a Broncos team (2-4) that is last in the NFL in average points per game (15.1).
Hamilton says Wilson’s not the problem.
“You’ve got Russell that’s new to the team and he needs more protection,” Hamilton said. “He’s still getting to know a lot of the players around him. I like getting super deep into all that kind of stuff and also into athlete performance because these guys are huge. Some of the guys are over 300 pounds, they’re massive: wouldn’t want those guys to hit you.
“And then just looking into how I can play a role with that team in terms of supporting them and also the things that we’re going to do with within the community in Denver.”
Mike Pryson Mike Pryson covered auto racing for the Jackson (Mich.) Citizen Patriot and MLive Media Group from 1991 until joining Autoweek in 2011.
Keyword: F1 Champ Lewis Hamilton Knows What the Denver Broncos Need to Fix Offense