Hamilton: Being part of Chelsea bid ‘incredibly exciting’

By DANIELLA MATAR
AP Sports Writer

IMOLA, Italy (AP) — Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton’s passion for playing soccer as a child is part of what drove him to join a consortium that is bidding to buy Chelsea. Hamilton is part of a group trying to buy the Premier League club from sanctioned Russian owner Roman Abramovich. The British driver is a longtime fan of rival London team, Arsenal. The bid is being fronted by former Liverpool and British Airways chairman Martin Broughton and World Athletics president Sebastian Coe. Hamilton says it was Broughton who persuaded him to join the consortium. And Hamilton helped convince 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams to join as well.