Despite having not won a race since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton is continuing to earn a pretty sensational amount, enough to see him claim 21st on Forbes’ highest-paid athlete list for 2023.
From May 1 2022 to May 1 2023, Hamilton reportedly earned $65 million, with $55 million having come from racing, whilst the remaining $10 million came from “an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees and memorabilia and licensing income”.
2022 was actually the worst season of Hamilton’s entire Formula 1 career, with the 38-year-old having failed to claim either a win or a pole position, whilst he also slumped to sixth in the Drivers’ Championship.
To add to his woes last season, he was beaten in the standings by team-mate George Russell, who became just the third team-mate of Hamilton’s to finish above him in the championship.
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Hamilton has, though, started 2023 better than Russell, with the 103-time race winner currently sitting fourth in the Drivers’ Championship.
Following the opening five rounds, Hamilton sits 16 points ahead of Russell, who occupies sixth in the championship.
Hamilton is also the only Mercedes driver to have claimed a podium so far this campaign, something he achieved after finishing second at the Australian Grand Prix.
He’ll be hoping that the team’s new concept of the W14 will see him return to the top of the rostrum, something he hasn’t done for over 17 months.
The Silver Arrows are set to introduce the new concept next weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix, following the cancellation of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, where the upgrade was initially set to be introduced.
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Returning to the Forbes list, Hamilton was one place ahead of rival Max Verstappen, with the Dutchman having earned $1 million less than the Mercedes driver.
Verstappen earned $60 million from F1 and $4 million from his sponsors, meaning the reigning World Champion actually earned more from the sport than Hamilton in the past 12 months, but less off the circuit.
The Red Bull driver earned less despite having enjoyed his most successful season in F1, where he broke the record for most wins in a single season and most points scored.