The 2024 Formula 1 season is about to begin with the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend – but for many drivers, another similarly important season is already well underway.
While there are 24 races scheduled between the start of March and the start of December, the football season is already nearing crunch time. F1 drivers are busy people and spend much of their time locked into training and preparation, but they still have interests outside of their profession.
For many, football provides a welcome relief from the stress of racing, although the levels of stress can be heightened, depending on the team they support. Are the best drivers glory hunters? Or have they followed their home-town club since birth?
Here Mirror Sport takes a look through the football teams supported by F1’s best.
Max Verstappen
Verstappen is going for his fourth straight World Championship in 2024, but he will also have one eye on the results of PSV Eindhoven. The Dutch giants are currently top of the Eredivisie and closing in on their first title since 2017/18, much to Verstappen’s delight.
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“That started with my father when he was sponsored by Philips,” he explained in an interview with Formule1.nl. “At that time he was regularly invited to PSV matches and sometimes I accompanied him. Gradually a certain bond grows, a click, and you can also associate yourself with that club. PSV emotionally suits me better than, say, Ajax. The Amsterdam mentality is different from the Eindhoven warmth. And Limburg is of course also closer to Brabant, in terms of distance, but also in terms of mentality.
He added: “I'm not a football player myself, although I sometimes kick a ball. I especially enjoy watching matches. I really try to follow all PSV matches, if I can manage it in terms of planning.”
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton is an Arsenal fan (YouTube)Hamilton is an Arsenal fan, but that hasn’t always been the case, as he told Sky Sports in 2022: "I really wanted to fit in – I was the only kid of colour there but I know that the kids all supported someone different – one was Tottenham, one was Man United.
"I remember switching between these teams when I was younger and getting home and my sister punching me several times in the arm, beating me and saying ‘you have to support Arsenal’, so I remember at five or six years old that I became a supporter of Arsenal."
Nevertheless, his business interests have seen him flirt with the Gunners’ rivals. Back in April 2022, the seven-time world champion joined former British Airways chairman Sir Martin Broughton’s bid to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich, only to lose out to Todd Boehly’s consortium.
"Ultimately, I am a sporting fan,” he said at the time. “It is the biggest sport in the world and Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in the world and most successful. When I heard about this opportunity I was like ‘wow, this is one of the greatest opportunities to be a part of something so great’.”
Hamilton also made it clear last year that he would be open to adding a stake in Manchester United to his business empire due to his relationship with Sir Jim Ratcliffe. “I hope in future to do something with Jim and build with him,” he said. “I don't know where that will be or what that will be, so I can't really say.”
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso is a Real Madrid fan - and met Cristiano Ronaldo when he played for the club (Getty)The veteran Spaniard is a Real Madrid fan and, back in September 2017, he was made an official honorary member of the club. “It is a tremendously special day to be here in this stadium that I love from a distance with all the trips I have. I've been asked a lot why I support Real Madrid,” he said.
"I've never had a clear answer. I am a Real Madrid fan because I am a Real Madrid fan. Neither do I know why my eyes are brown. Real Madrid chose me to be, like millions of people, a fan of this great club." Despite being a Real fan, Alonso also has a membership at fan-owned club Real Oviedo, having been born in the northern city.
Carlos Sainz
Like Alonso, Sainz is a fan of Real Madrid. He was born in Madrid and is very proud of his association with the club, often being photographed wearing Real kit and appearing in social media campaigns. The Ferrari driver made headlines in July 2022 when he refused to sign a Barcelona shirt with Lionel Messi ’s name on the back.
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George Russell
George Russell is a Wolves fan (Twitter)The Mercedes driver grew up in Norfolk, but is a fan of Wolves, due to his dad. "My father’s a season ticket holder at Wolves and comes to the games week in, week out," Russell told Wolves' official website in 2019. "I’ve only been to the Wolves about eight or nine games over the years, but each time I come to the games I get converted into an even bigger fan."
Charles Leclerc
Leclerc was born in Monaco and is a fan of the city’s club, who compete in Ligue 1. He has played in charity football games – once making a fool of himself by face-planting the floor – and was congratulated by AS Monaco after he claimed his first race win, aged 21, in September 2019.
Pierre Gasly
The Frenchman was born in Rouen, in the north of the country, and is a supporter of Paris Saint-Germain. He regularly posts on social media about attending games. He was welcomed at the club – and given his own personalised PSG shirt – back in the summer of 2021.
Sergio Perez
Sergio Perez is a fan of Club America (Getty Images)The Mexican driver is a supporter of Club America, a team from the capital Mexico City, but caused some controversy in the press earlier this year when he was pictured smiling while watching rivals Chivas beat Juarez.
Oscar Piastri
Hailing from Australia, Piastri is more into cricket and Aussie rules football, as well as basketball. On his website, he names ex-Australia captain Ricky Ponting and ex-basketball players LeBron James and Michael Jordan as his heroes.
Lando Norris
Lando Norris grew up in Bristol (Kym Illman/Getty Images)He grew up in Bristol and chose Bristol City over Rovers due to his father, Adam, being close to City’s owner, Steve Lansdown. However, he did once admit to following Manchester United due to his love of Cristiano Ronaldo though.
Lance Stroll
The Canadian is more interested in the NFL than football. “In the couple of months before the start of the F1 season, I’m on the couch watching football on a Sunday,” he said in 2019. “I’m a New York Giants fan. I don’t get to many games these days, but I’ve been two Super Bowls. In fact, they were the two Super Bowls that the Giants won, in 2008 and 2012. They don’t win much anymore unfortunately!”
Logan Sargeant
Asked by Williams which sports teams he liked, Sargeant, from Florida, replied: “Anything Miami! We’re talking Heat, Dolphins, Marlins, Inter Miami… they’ve all got my support.” With Lionel Messi and co in town, the Inter Miami are winning a lot of new fans.
Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo loves Manchester United (Getty Images)The Australian is a big football fan and follows Manchester United. He’s previously been spotted hanging out with the likes of Michael Carrick and Jose Mourinho.
Valtteri Bottas
In the words of the man himself, in a 2014 tweet: “I’m not really into football but have to say the final should be interesting! Hope the win comes to Europe! #GER #WorldCup ..Finns one day ;)”
Kevin Magnussen
The Dane is a fan of FC Copenhagen and has frequently tweeted when they have won the derby against Brondby.
Yuki Tsunoda
The Japanese driver was first introduced to football last year, when he watched a Juventus game and met Paul Pogba. He wrote on Instagram : “First live game. These Juventus guys are pretty good at this football thing, thanks for inviting me and showing me around!"
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