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Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton
Photo: MARTIN KEEP / REUTERS
Formula 1 record world champion Lewis Hamilton is an investor in a consortium that wants to take over the English football club Chelsea FC.
This was confirmed by a spokeswoman for Hamilton's news agency dpa.
The consortium is led by British multi-millionaire Sir Martin Broughton, who briefly served as Liverpool FC chairman years ago but is said to be a Chelsea FC supporter in private.
The British broadcaster Sky had previously reported on Hamilton's commitment.
Accordingly, the seven-time world champion is said to want to invest in the purchase of the Champions League winner together with US tennis star Serena Williams.
Hamilton is said to be an Arsenal fan
Broughton's consortium, which includes former Olympic gold medalist and World Athletics Federation president Sebastian Coe, is one of three remaining bidders for Chelsea.
According to British media, Hamilton is said to be a fan of Chelsea rivals Arsenal.
Chelsea are set to change hands for an estimated £2.5bn (around €3bn).
The previous owner, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, put the London-based club up for sale before the British government imposed harsh sanctions on it for its close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The sanctions also hit Chelsea.
After Great Britain, Abramovich was also put on the sanctions list by the EU.
ngo/dpa/sid/Reuters
