Max Verstappen has been Red Bull’s golden boy since his debut with the senior team in 2016. In 2022, having won the 2021 drivers’ championship after a tight battle with Lewis Hamilton, the Milton-Keynes-based team decided to renew Dutchman’s contract. With that, Verstappen became the one with the largest paycheck, surpassing Hamilton’s at Mercedes. But for an athlete, there is more than one avenue to pursue. And Lewis Hamilton, knowing fully well how to capitalize, edged past his rival in the competition for the most money earned in a year leading up to May 1, 2023.

According to a Forbes report, Lewis Hamilton defeated Max Verstappen in the battle of earnings by a close margin of $5 million, despite being paid the same amount less in wages. Standing 21st in the list, one above Verstappen, the Briton earned about $55 million in paychecks, $5 million less than his rival. However, the off-track earnings are where all the difference was made.

In its methodology, the Forbes report explains the category as “off-field earnings figures are an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees and memorabilia and licensing income.” Here, Hamilton, owing to his long-term career and endorsements, made $10 million. On the other hand, the reigning F1 world champion made only $4 million and seeks more.

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For Formula 1, however, it is a matter of collective success, as the rival drivers were the only two out of the current 20 to feature on this edition of the list. Compared to earnings in other sports on the list, their earnings remain relatively lower, which the sport seeks to fix by expanding rapidly into the North American market.

Lewis Hamilton vs. Max Verstappen: Who is richer?

We have already seen who among the two generational drivers earned more in the last year. But, when it comes to the larger picture, who do you back to be the richer? You made your guess. Good. If it was Lewis Hamilton, congratulations! You made the right call. The Mercedes driver has a net worth of about $285 million compared to the Dutchman’s $210 million.

The biggest contributor to this number is Hamilton’s high earnings over the past decade. Moreover, it is his endorsements that bring him bigger bags. His sponsor list, as per Forbes, includes internationally known brands such as Bose, Electronic Arts, Mercedes-Benz, Monster Energy, Police, Puma, and Tommy Hilfiger. On the other hand, Verstappen boasts Electronic Arts, Heineken N.V.

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Clearly, Hamilton remains the most marketable athlete in the sport. For Verstappen, the journey is just getting started.