Lewis Hamilton guiding Premier League star ‘through difficult spells’ | F1 | Sport

Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton may be an Arsenal fan, but he has been using his experience of being a serial winner to help a star player of one of the Gunners’ rivals. And he has plenty of it to offer, given his status as a seven-time world champion and the most successful driver in F1 history.

Now aged 40, Hamilton has been passing on his guidance. That much was revealed by Chelsea and England full-back Reece James who named the motorsport legend as a valuable ally in recent times.

James told BBC Sport that he met Hamilton through “a mutual friend” and have been in contact since. The F1 superstar posted public support for the Chelsea star in the summer, after the Blues won the Club World Cup, writing on Instagram: “Through it all, you kept your head up and kept pushing. Proud of you brother.”

BBC interviewer Kelly Somers referenced that post in an interview with James as she said: “It wasn’t sent from someone just observing, it was from someone that clearly knows you. Talk to me about that relationship with him.”

And James replied: “We’re reasonably close. He’s probably the greatest F1 driver to have lived. I know we play different sports, but there are many similarities. He tries to help me where he can, when I’m going through difficult spells, because he has been at a high level for longer, and he’s been through more.”

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In another world, Hamilton might have ended up being James’ boss if the takeover bid the F1 star joined back in 2022 had been successful. Hamilton joined friend and fellow sporting superstar Serena Williams as backers of Sir Martin Broughton and his consortium, which ultimately failed in its attempt to purchase the Stamford Bridge club.