MOTOR RACING-ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE, SAYS HAMILTON ON GRESINI MOTOGP INTEREST

By Alan Baldwin

SILVERSTONE, England (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton said anything was possible in response to speculation linking the seven-times Formula One world champion and keen motorcycle rider to a purchase of Italy's Gresini MotoGP team.

Formula One and MotoGP are set for common ownership after U.S.-based Liberty Media, who hold F1's commercial rights, announced a takeover of MotoGP's parent company Dorna last April.

Reports in Italian and British media have suggested Hamilton, who in 2019 took part in a sponsor-organised swap of machines for a day with MotoGP great Valentino Rossi, is looking to invest.

"I've always loved MotoGP. I'm interested in the potential growth of the sport, but I haven't looked that far into it just yet," Hamilton said at the British Grand Prix when asked specifically if he was interested in buying Gresini.

"But anything's possible. I'm definitely interested in, as I said before, about equity and already with the (Denver) Broncos, it was already a first step in team ownership.

"And so, yeah, I think over the next five to 10 years, there'll be hopefully more. We'll see where."

Hamilton joined the ownership of the National Football League's Denver Broncos in August 2022.

The Briton said that same year that he wanted to get more involved in sports teams to boost Black ownership and Black equity in sport.

Also in 2022 he was involved in a failed bid for Premier League side Chelsea.

Gresini use Ducati bikes and are run by Nadia Padovani, the widow of founder Fausto Gresini who died in 2021 and whose Faenza-based team entered MotoGP in 2002.

Six times MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez is racing for them this season.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)

2024-07-04T18:33:33Z dg43tfdfdgfd