Devoting yourself professionally to sport is something reserved for only a privileged few around the world, even more so if your goal is to be the best of all time. Someone who walked that path and who is considered one of the GOATs (the acronym in English to refer to the best in history) is Tom Brady .
The NFL player announced his retirement at age 44 through a post on Instagram , and during his career as a quarterback for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he became the player with the most Super Bowl wins.
The American, despite being known for his American football career, has a very special relationship with Formula 1. At the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix, he showed off his skill on the ball by passing to Daniel Ricciardo from yacht to yacht, and also had a friendly chat with 2016 champion Nico Rosberg in the pitlane before the race, but that doesn’t stop there.
Lewis Hamilton revealed in a chat with one of his sponsors that he is a big fan of Tom Brady : “I’ve met him on a number of occasions, and sometimes I’ll message him so he can give me some advice.”
“I’ve seen what Tom has achieved. Some things from his training, his preparation and the way he talks to the team,” explained the British driver at the end of 2021. “There’s so much you can learn just by watching a great athlete like him to apply and improve”.
The former player was still looking for his eighth title in that conversation, just as Hamilton will do in the 2022 Formula 1 season, something that served as motivation for Mercedes: “I have to follow Tom,” he said.
That was not the only time that the mythical number 12 of the NFL was related to the Great Circus and the four wheels, since in the presentation of the Aston Martin of the 2021 season, the AMR21 , it appeared by surprise.
“Hi Lance [Stroll] and Seb [Vettel]. It looks like your car is here and it looks great. The AMR21 looks fast!” the quarterback said in a video. “So congratulations to Lawrence [Stroll] for what an amazing team you’re putting together, you always have to do that, teamwork, we all know that, and I can’t wait to see what you have in store for 2021.”
“It’s amazing that Aston Martin is coming back to Formula 1, I will cheer you on every step you take with these two great drivers, I wish you every success. Good luck, kick their asses!” he concluded with a big smile.
Precisely that shine on the face that Tom Brady had during the recording of that video is the same one that is removed from the face of sports fans, those who will be eternally grateful to him and who wish him a happy retirement.
