Seven-time System 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton is known to be in talks with Gresini Racing about shopping for the satellite tv for pc Ducati MotoGP squad.
In a transfer first prompt by The Race’s sources at first of the Dutch TT weekend at Assen and since confirmed by a number of individuals with information of the crew’s workings, Hamilton has expressed curiosity in buying Gresini from present crew boss Nadia Padovani.
A member of Hamilton’s inside circle was even believed to have been in attendance with Gresini at Assen final weekend, as the present Mercedes driver and his representatives scout out the industrial viability of taking on the crew at a key time in MotoGP’s historical past.
MotoGP is at the moment within the means of being acquired by F1’s proprietor Liberty Media, so it could be good for Liberty if F1’s best-known driver – who has his personal bike assortment and is a big MotoGP fan – was considerably concerned in its new two-wheeled enterprise.
This could in concept act as an ideal ‘crossover episode’ ought to Liberty wish to convert a few of F1’s large fanbase into MotoGP followers – offering its takeover is authorised by competitors regulators, with a call anticipated later this 12 months.
The deal would additionally permit Hamilton to accumulate a major monetary asset at little or no monetary danger to himself, too, with a lot of his private and present Mercedes crew sponsors already concerned in MotoGP and more likely to be simply persuaded into backing his new enterprise as properly, with names corresponding to Petronas and Monster Vitality apparent potential companions given their very own MotoGP histories.
Gresini is one in all MotoGP’s most storied squads, with a historical past that dates again to the mid-Nineteen Nineties and having run the likes of Daijiro Kato, Toni Elias and Jorge Martin to titles within the decrease lessons whereas stars together with Sete Gibernau, Marco Melandri and the late Marco Simoncelli have fought for MotoGP titles and race wins with Gresini.
It grew to become the manufacturing unit Aprilia squad in 2015, and was then taken over by Padovani in 2021 following the loss of life of her husband and crew founder Fausto Gresini.
Gresini reverted to unbiased standing with satellite tv for pc Ducati equipment for 2022 and has gone from power to power since then, scoring general and dash race wins with Enea Bastianini, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez earlier than pulling off the coup of signing six-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez from Honda for 2024.
Along with his private assortment of bikes Hamilton can also be an avid trackday rider and beforehand had a cope with MV Agusta, which produced limited-edition bikes he helped design.
Hamilton has even had the possibility to trip MotoGP equipment previously, when he swapped locations with MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi at Valencia in 2019 by shared sponsors Monster and Petronas.
There, he rode Rossi’s Yamaha M1 alongside the nine-time world champion earlier than Rossi obtained the possibility to strive Hamilton’s Mercedes W08 F1 automobile.
“I’ve at all times cherished bikes,” Hamilton stated on the time. “After I was youthful I wished to race bikes, not automobiles however my dad wouldn’t let me – he stated they had been too harmful!
“He obtained me into 4 wheels reasonably than two. It was the precise selection as a result of if I used to be racing in the course of the time Vale was there, I wouldn’t have been so profitable.
“Since I’ve been in System 1, I’ve a superbike and I love to do some monitor days. It’s fascinating. It provides a special perspective.”
A transfer into MotoGP wouldn’t be the primary time that Hamilton has dabbled in sports activities crew possession, both, each in motorsport and in different ventures.
He was the proprietor of X44, which till this season competed in electrical off-road racing collection Excessive E, and received the 2022 title with Dakar Rally stage winner Cristina Gutierrez and nine-time World Rally champion Sebastien Loeb.
Hamilton can also be a part of the possession group that took over American soccer crew the Denver Broncos in 2022, partnering with former United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to hitch the funding group run by Walmart inheritor Rob Walton as they took over the crew that received the 2014 Tremendous Bowl.
