Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton could be involved in a mega-money bid to buy Manchester United if Sir Jim Ratcliffe tries to strike a deal.
The Glazer family, the current owners of the club, finally announced late last year that they were "exploring strategic opportunities" after plenty of pressure from unhappy fans. The fact their statement did not rule out a full sale of the club was also cause for excitement for those who want to see a change at the top at Old Trafford.
Naturally, the list of individuals and companies linked with a takeover bid is a long one. Massive brands like Apple and Amazon have been mooted as possibly interested parties, along with several billionaires from around the world.
One of them is Britain's richest man, Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The 70-year-old is a fan of the club himself and has publicly entertained the idea of launching a Man Utd takeover bid in the past.
The most recent update regarding the club's ownership was that a sale could happen "very soon" in what would be a "seismic moment" in English football. And if INEOS chief executive Ratcliffe does submit an official offer, then Hamilton could be a part of it.
The seven-time F1 world champion and Ratcliffe know each other very well. INEOS is the principal sponsor of his Mercedes team, but his association does not end there. Ratcliffe is also an equal ownership partner of the team, along with the Daimler Group and team principal Toto Wolff.
Last year, Hamilton signed up to be part of the consortium spearheaded by Sir Martin Broughton in Ratcliffe's ultimately unsuccessful attempt to buy Chelsea. Judging by comments he made last September regarding Ratcliffe's Man Utd interest, Hamilton could be up for doing the same again.
"Jim’s part boss but partner – I'd say we're more partners because we're in this together and I hope in future to do something with Jim and build with him," said the Brit. "I don't know where that will be or what that will be, so I can't really say.
"I haven't had a call from him asking if I want to be involved in [a United takeover bid] just yet, but I do want to get more and more involved in teams because I really do believe in black ownership – there is a lack of it in sports – and black equity. Again, there is a real lack of that."
The Glazers would most likely want a world record fee to be tempted to sell Man Utd, though huge sums have not put off Hamilton before. Last summer he became a co-owner of the Denver Broncos and it was the sale of the NFL team which set the current world record for the price of any sports franchise.
Closing in on the end of his F1 career, 38-year-old Hamilton has been expanding his business empire. On top of his stake in the Broncos, the Brit has his own film production company, his +44 clothing brand and several investments including in vegan firms and online grocery app Zapp.
Ratcliffe has made a fortune from his own business and is also heavily involved in sports. He is already involved in European football as owner Ligue 1 outfit Nice and Swiss side Lausanne Sport, while he also runs the INEOS Grenadiers cycling team – formerly known as Team Sky.
