Lewis Hamilton has given an update on Jim Ratcliffe’s bid to buy Manchester United.
In January British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, who is the owner of petrochemicals company Ineos, announced he was to take part in the bidding process for United.
The Old Trafford club’s current owners, the Glazer family, announced in November they were exploring “strategic alternatives” which could result in a full sale.
American banking firm the Raine Group, who have been employed by the Glazers to assist with a sale, have placed a soft deadline of February 17 for prospective buyers to place their initial bids.
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Ratcliffe is currently the only party to have placed a public declaration for United, a club the 70-year-old has supported his entire life.
However, it has been widely reported that a Qatari bid will be submitted before Friday, while the Mail Online claims Tesla and Twitter owner Elon Musk is monitoring the sales process at United.
Hamilton on Ratcliffe
Formula 1 star Hamilton, has been linked with possibly joining Ratcliffe’s bid for United.
Indeed, the Ineos owners also has a stake in the Mercedes Formula 1 time, with whom Hamilton has won six of his seven F1 world championships.
At the Mercedes season launch event on Wednesday morning, Hamilton spoke about the conversations he appears to have had with Ratcliffe over the billionaire's attempts to buy United and on Arsenal's successes this term.
"I am very close with Jim so I am aware of where he is at (with United)," said Hamilton.
"We talk a lot about football as he is very passionate about it. We have great discussions about what his team is doing, we talk about how Arsenal is playing.
"Obviously he is from Manchester so that is his dream home... where he comes from. But there is no further information I can give you on that."
Topics: Football, Manchester United, Premier League, Lewis Hamilton, Arsenal, Formula 1
Chris Byfield