The most successful racer in Formula One history is the newest addition to the Walton-Penner ownership group that will officially take over the Broncos next Tuesday.
Sir Lewis Hamilton, whose 103 wins are first in F1 history and whose seven series championships are tied for the most, was announced Tuesday as a limited shareholder.
“He is a champion competitor who knows what it takes to lead a winning team and a fierce advocate for global equality, including in his own sport,” Rob Walton said in a statement. “With over 100 race wins, Lewis is considered the most successful F1 driver of all time. His resilient spirit and standard of excellence will be an asset to the ownership group and the Broncos organization.”
Hamilton, 37, is a limited shareholder along with Mellody Hobson and Condoleezza Rice. The group is headed by Walton, Greg Penner and Carrie Walton-Penner.
Via Twitter, Hamilton wrote, in part: “Excited to join an incredible group of owners and become a part of the Broncos story!! Honored to work with a world-class team and serve as an example of the value of more diverse leadership across all sports.”
Hobson, Rice and Hamilton are Black, giving the Broncos a diverse ownership group that was the desire of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Walton and Co. agreed to purchase the Broncos for a world-record sports franchise price of $4.65 billion on June 8. The group’s bid was approved by the NFL’s Finance Committee last week. The final step is gaining approval from at least 24 of the league’s 31 teams during a special meeting next week in Minneapolis.
Hamilton’s instant tie to the Broncos is through quarterback Russell Wilson, who saluted Hamilton on Twitter before Tuesday’s practice. In 2018, at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, Wilson was the passenger and Hamilton the driver in a street car around the circuit. And in May, Wilson and his wife, Ciara, were guests of the Mercedes race team for the Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo.
Hamilton grew up in Stevenage, England, about 35 miles north of London, where the Broncos will play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 30. On that day, though, Hamilton will be driving in the Singapore Grand Prix.
Hamilton joined Formula One with the McLaren team in 2007 and won his first points title in ’08.
After six seasons with McLaren, Hamilton signed with Mercedes in 2014, with whom he has won six world titles (2014-15 and 2017-20). He is sixth in this year’s standings with no wins and six top-three finishes. He is the only Black driver to win an F1 race.
Hamilton’s seven championships are tied with Michael Schumacher for the most in F1 history and he is the record holder for pole positions (103) and podium (top three) finishes (188).
Last December, Hamilton was awarded the “Sir” title when he was knighted by the Prince of Wales during a ceremony at Windsor Castle. He became the fourth driver to be knighted, joining Sir Jack Brabham, Sir Stirling Moss and Sir Jackie Stewart, and the first to be awarded the honor while still an active driver.
Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett was informed before practice of Hamilton joining the ownership group.
“That’s pretty awesome; I was shocked,” Hackett said. “He’s a legend. Anytime you can have a winner of that caliber, it’s an honor to be a part of an organization that he is.”
