Serena rooting for Hamilton as both eye records

Tennis great Serena Williams expects Lewis Hamilton to overtake Michael Schumacher as Formula One’s most successful driver of all time as both she and the Briton chase their own sporting records.

Williams has her sights on a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title at the French Open while six-time world champion Hamilton has his first chance to match Schumacher’s record 91 wins at this weekend’s Russian Grand Prix.

The pair are long-standing friends and mutual supporters, and both Serena and her sister Venus have attended grands prix in the past.

As far back as 2016 Hamilton spoke of how he was “mesmerized” by Serena’s achievements as an athlete and inspired by her as a human being.

Both grew up with little money and no family background in their sports but with determined fathers pushing them on.