"I was watching the race and thinking about it as if I was in a game," says Cleveland Browns star as he takes inspiration from Hamilton
Monday 27 May 2019 18:25, UK
Star NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr says he has been "motivated" by Lewis Hamilton's Monaco GP win after watching the Mercedes driver dig deep to hold off Max Verstappen.
Beckham Jr, who signed for the Cleveland Browns this off-season, is one of the NFL's most recognisable players and the sport's highest-paid wideout, and was in Monaco for his first Formula 1 race on Sunday.
The American is a good friend of Hamilton, and admits he was inspired by the Mercedes driver's performance as he ground out a victory, lasting for 67 laps on wearing medium tyres and fending off Verstappen in the closing stages.
"To see Lewis pull it off, under pressure, in the championship - I was telling a brother of mine this has really motivated me, the whole experience," Beckham Jr told Sky Sports F1. "The race as well, it was truly special."
It was Hamilton's third victory in F1's most iconic race, and Beckham Jr added: "This was something that motivated me, this was the Monaco Grand Prix. As I had a conversation with him I understood how much this one meant to him."
Beckham Jr will be aiming to make a mark with his new team once the new NFL season starts this September, after being controversially traded by the New York Giants.
But he's enjoying time off for now, and was one of many famous faces cheering on Hamilton in the Principality. And even though the two sports have major differences, Beckham Jr couldn't help but compare F1 to the NFL.
"I was watching the race and thinking about it as if I was in a game," the 26-year-old said. "We're Lap 50, we're in the third quarter. You're getting tired mentally, how deep are you going to dig?
"I remember hearing [Hamilton] on the radio saying, 'my tyres are done'. Just him digging deep, I think he found out a lot about himself from this race."
