Mercedes driver and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton unsurprinsingly is Formula 1 highest paid driver. Satistically the most successful man ever to grace the sport, the Englishman's success warrants his extremely large salary.
Despite signing only a one year contract extension with Mercedes, according to Forbes, his salary with the German outfit for the year stands at a whopping $70 million. The reigning world champion also earns an additional $12 million in endorsement deals with the most notable being with American brand Tommy Hilfiger.
Despite his annual take home of $82 million, the Mercedes pilot only manages to claim eighth spot in this year's Forbes list of highest paid athletes. What's even more shocking is that this marks only the second ever time Hamilton has broken into the top 10 after his initial inclusion in 2017. Maybe that's why his contract negotiations took so long!
To see the full list of Forbes 10 highest paid athletes view the table below.
| Ranking | Athlete Name | Sport | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conor McGregor | MMA | $150 million |
| 2 | Lionel Messi | Association Football | $130 million |
| 3 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Association Football | $120 million |
| 4 | Dak Prescott | American Football | $107.5 million |
| 5 | Lebron James | Basketball | $96.5 million |
| 6 | Neymar | Association Football | $95 million |
| 7 | Roger Federer | Tennis | $90 million |
| 8 | Lewis Hamilton | Formula 1 | $82 million |
| 9 | Tom Brady | American Football | $76 million |
| 10 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | $75 million |
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