Lewis Hamilton named in world’s top 10 most marketable athletes
A study by SportsPro has measured “extensive data analysis, advanced social media monitoring, economic valuations, expert and consumer insights” to measure the most marketable athletes of 2022.
SportsPro’s most marketable athletes of 2022
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (football)
2. Serena Williams (tennis)
3. Lewis Hamilton (F1)
4. LeBron James (basketball)
5. Lionel Messi (football)
6. Naomi Osaka (tennis)
7. Virat Kohli (cricket)
8. Alex Morgan (football)
9. Sam Kerr (football)
10. Tom Brady (American football)
F1 drivers in the top 50
25. Charles Leclerc
33. Max Verstappen
35. George Russell
36. Sergio Perez
The Mercedes driver’s personal fortune makes him the UK’s richest active sportsperson in 2022.
He sits comfortably on top of the list of F1 driver salaries, ahead of Verstappen.
He also has an impressive list of investments which supplement his income, including a part-ownership role at NFL team the Denver Broncos, where he was in attendance on Tuesday night.
Why are F1 drivers so marketable?
Only football and tennis has more representation in the list of SportsPro’s top 50 most marketable sportspeople than F1.
Netflix series Drive To Survive is cited as a major reason for providing fans with “unparalleled access”.
Drivers are “no longer hidden behind race helmets”, the report says.
Hamilton is the only sportsperson on the list to be awarded a 20/20 score for “brand strength”. He works with companies including Tommy Hilfiger, Monster Energy and UBS, Qualcomm, L’Oreal and IWC.
His strength in discussing social issues is part of the reason that he appeals to brands, the report says.
The social media generation warmed to the likes of Leclerc and Russell, who featured on Drive To Survive initially as drivers for Sauber and Williams.
Red Bull driver Perez appears on the list in part because of his popularity in Mexico, his home country.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
