Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton now the highest paid driver in F1 history

Lewis Hamilton recently became the highest paid driver in Formula 1 history with earnings of roughly $489 million over the course of his career.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport’s Lewis Hamilton is one of the most successful drivers in Formula 1 history, and his upside potential in terms of adding to his already impressive resume is huge.

The 34-year-old Briton has competed in Formula 1 since the 2007 season when he drove for McLaren, and he has not missed a race since making his series debut in the 2007 season opener.

Hamilton spent the first six seasons of his career driving for the Woking-based team and won his first championship in the 2008 season before making the switch to Mercedes ahead of the 2013 season.

Hamilton has driven for the Brackley-based team ever since the 2013 season, and he quintupled his career Formula 1 championship total during his first six seasons driving for the team, specifically his most recent five seasons driving for the Silver Arrows. He is now one of only three drivers who have won at least five Formula 1 championships.

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Michael Schumacher is the only seven-time Formula 1 champion while Hamilton is tied with five-time champion Juan Manuel Fangio for second place on the all-time Formula 1 championships list.

Schumacher is the only driver who Hamilton trails in the career Formula 1 wins and podium finishes categories as well, as Schumacher won an all-time record 91 races while Hamilton just earned his 74th career victory in this past Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix and Schumacher earned an all-time record 155 podium finishes while Hamilton just earned his 136th career podium finish in this race.

Hamilton holds the all-time Formula 1 pole positions record with 84 career pole positions. Schumacher sits in second place on the all-time pole positions list with 68 career pole positions

But now Hamilton, whose current contract with the Silver Arrows runs through the conclusion of the 2020 season, has another all-time Formula 1 record to his name. He is officially the highest paid driver in Formula 1 history.

Since he began driving in Formula 1 as a 22-year-old back in the 2007 season, Hamilton has earned an estimated $489 million, according to a Forbes report. His current contract is worth roughly $57 million per year and is the most expensive contract among the contracts of the sport’s 20 active drivers.

Hamilton passed none other than Schumacher on the all-time Formula 1 career earnings list to become the highest paid driver in Formula 1 history.

Schumacher earned an estimated $464 million over the course of his career in the sport. Before the 2019 season began, Hamilton also trailed the recently retired Fernando Alonso, who earned an estimated $458 million over the course of his career in the sport, in this category.

The next highest drivers on the all-time Formula 1 career earnings list are Scuderia Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Alfa Romeo Racing’s Kimi Raikkonen, both of whom are active drivers. They have earned an estimated $358 million and $331 million over the course of their careers, respectively.

No other drivers aside of Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso have earned more than half of what Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen have earned during their careers as Formula 1 drivers. Jenson Button is the next highest driver on the all-time Formula 1 career earnings list, and he earned $147 million over the course of his career in the sport.