Sir Lewis Hamilton has reportedly invested in an upstart business that delivers online grocery items.
The company, called Zapp, was started in London in 2020 by Joe Falter and last year outreached to Amsterdam as it continues to grow.
Labelled a “dark store operator”, Zapp works similarly to takeaway food services.
The customer orders their items, a driver or cyclist picks up their shopping and the items are delivered straight to their door.
READ: Hamilton ‘bored’ with fans saying ‘you were robbed, Lewis!’
It now appears that seven-time world champion Hamilton has placed money into the business, but exactly how much is unknown.
What is known is that Zapp has now reached a valuation of circa $200 million, after several key players are also said to have bought shares.
“Lightspeed Venture Partners, 468 Capital and BroadLight Capital” have reportedly shown their faith in the business, as “Atomico, Burda and Vorwerk Ventures also took part,” according to The Express.
The app promises customers a 20-minute delivery time on their orders as they look to compete with the likes of UberEATS and Deliveroo.
This is essentially the first news pertaining to Hamilton since he received his knighthood at Windsor Palace three days after his heart-breaking championship defeat to Max Verstappen in December.
His Mercedes team were angered when race director Michael Masi opted to allow just five lapped cars past a late Safety Car at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, despite having ruled that no lapped runners would be permitted past due to time constraints just four minutes earlier.
Hamilton claimed over the radio that the race had been “manipulated” by race control, while Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff told Masi that the finish was “so not right.”
The 37-year-old has not posted on social media since the close of the championship in December, and he told Jenson Button immediately after the race: “We’ll see about next year.”
Further, Wolff has previously said that both he and the Briton are “disillusioned” with Formula 1 at present, leading to many within the motorsport world suggesting that Hamilton is considering retirement.
READ: Wolff warned ‘be careful what you wish for’ as questions about Masi replacement raised
Should he return, he will be partnered by new signing George Russell, who has joined from Williams to replace the departing Valtteri Bottas.
Mercedes are set to unveil their 2022 challenger on 18 February, five days before pre-season testing gets underway in Barcelona.
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