Lewis Hamilton is a three-time Formula One World Champion and one of the most recognizable names–let alone athletes–on the planet.
So, how much does a gig like that pay?
Well, a lot. It pays a lot. Here’s everything you need to know about the 32-year-old Brit’s net worth, salary, endorsements and car collection:
1. He Has an Estimated Net Worth of £131 million or $171.5 million
Net worth numbers are always fairly rough estimates, but when The Sunday Times put together its annual list of the UK’s 1,000 richest people, it reported his net worth at £131 million ($171.5 million), which is up £25 million from a year ago.
He ranks “only” 838th on the list, but he’s first among all athletes in the UK, well ahead of the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney, Rory McIlroy and Andy Murray.
2. In 2015, He Signed a New Deal With Mercedes Worth £100 million Over 3 Years
In the first three seasons after joining Mercedes in 2013, Hamilton racked up 23 poles, 38 podium finishes and 22 victories, winning back-to-back championships in ’14 and ’15. He was awarded with a new three-year deal worth around £100 million, keeping him on the team through the end of the 2018 campaign.
“Mercedes is my home and I couldn’t be happier to be staying here for another three years,” Hamilton said. “This is a company filled with real passionate racers, from the board room to the factory floor, and an incredible hunger to win.”
Hamilton, who negotiated the deal himself, was also able to maintain control of his image rights.
3. He Has Endorsements With IWC, Monster Energy, Bose & Others
When it comes to endorsements, the top Formula One drivers don’t really come close to earning as much as the world’s best in other individual sports like golf or tennis. While that’s still true for Hamilton, he is well above other F1 drivers in marketability.
Per Forbes, Hamilton–whose talent on the track is matched by his flamboyance and style off it–has deals with IWC, Monster Energy, L’Oreal, Bose, Puma, MV Agusta Motorcycles and Bombardier Recreational Products, bringing him in an extra $8 million per yearb in income. For comparison, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, the second- and third-highest paid F1 drivers, bring in just $500K and $2 million in endorsements, respectively.
Hamilton isn’t just one of the most dominant drivers on the planet. With 4.5 million Instagram followers and just about the same on Twitter, he has turned himself into a global brand.
4. He’s the 10th-Highest Paid Athlete in the World
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWUwDm_lK-9/?taken-by=lewishamilton&hl=en
After collecting $38 million in salary and $8 million in endorsements in the previous fiscal year, Hamilton landed in 10th on Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes in the world.
ESPN’s Fame 100, which “combines endorsements with social media following and internet search popularity” to find the most popular athletes, wasn’t nearly as kind, placing Hamilton 84th.
5. His Extensive Car Collection Includes a 1966 427 Shelby Cobra & a Shelby GT500
https://twitter.com/lewishamilton/status/593475548720009216?lang=en
You can’t be a three-time F1 World Champion and not have a wildly impressive car collection. There’s the Shelby Cobra (pictured above), which Hamilton has called one of his favorite cars.
There’s the Shelby GT500, or perhaps better known to some as “Eleanor“:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BP-v8c1hUKd/?taken-by=lewishamilton&hl=en
There’s the LaFerrari, which is one of just 499 in existence and ran him $1.5 million:
Other cars in his collection include a McLaren P1, a Pagani Zonda 760LH, a Mercedes Benz SLS Black Series and a Mercedes-Maybach S600.
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Lewis Hamilton Net Worth: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know