Life for Lewis Hamilton has not been seamless at Mercedes recently. But the seven-time world champion still has a reason to be happy, thanks to his favorite soccer team – Arsenal. The North London club is fighting for the English Premier League (EPL) title and with four matches to go, they lead the standings.
Recently attending an event with GQ, one of the reporters got hold of Hamilton and asked him what his favorite team in the EPL is. Without skipping a beat, the Mercedes driver replied, “Arsenal!” The reporter then asked him if he was happy with the results of the team so far.
“Of course, I’m so happy. I’ve been waiting for this my whole life.”
Born just 40 miles away from London, Hamilton was always close to soccer. He started playing the sport as a 4-year-old and continued till he was 17. He even played soccer for his school team alongside future England National team player Ashley Young.
Initially, though, Hamilton was never an Arsenal supporter. With his friends supporting different clubs, the Mercedes driver bounced between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur before deciding to stick to one team that turned out to be Arsenal.
Lewis Hamilton’s never-ending love for Arsenal
Hailing from the UK, Lewis Hamilton was always close to soccer. Playing the sport with his friends, the Stevenage-born driver was often confused over which club to support. In came his sister, Samantha Lockhart, who forced him to start supporting Arsenal when he was six. Ever since, Hamilton has supported the Gunners and got to see them go undefeated in the 2003-04 season, which was also their last Championship win.
Due to the support and his global fame, the now 39-year-old driver even got the chance to play in a celebrity Arsenal game. Hamilton led one team in a 5v5 match, while Arsenal Legend Thierry Henry took charge of the other. Soccer legends like Robert Pires, Sol Campbell, and Jamie Carragher were also on the roster for this fun match.
With the match ending in a 5-5 draw, it was up to a penalty shootout to decide the winner. Unfortunately for Hamilton, his team lost despite him converting his shot.
In 2022, Hamilton revealed his interest in investing in Chelsea, Arsenal’s local rivals. The move did not follow through, but it is safe to say that the Gunners faithful wouldn’t have been pleased with ‘one of their own’ aiding a rival financially.
