Hamilton in Forbes' top 10 after signing new 40 million-per-year deal

Lewis Hamilton

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has cemented his place among the world's highest-earning sportsmen after signing a new £40million-per-year deal with Mercedes.

Hamilton placed 10th on Forbes' most recent sporting rich list in June 2017, where he was the top-ranked racing driver and trailed only golfer Rory McIlroy among home nations competitors.

Forbes pegged Hamilton's earnings from his sport at 38million US dollars, or £29.5m, for the 12 months to last June. That may feature performance-related bonuses for his 11 grand prix wins, six further podium finishes and second place in the 2016 drivers' championship but either way, the new £40m wage would have moved him ahead of McIlroy and pushed the 'big five' on the Forbes list.

Footballers Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, basketball stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant and Roger Federer have been comfortably clear in the rich list for the last two years. His earnings from endorsements were estimated at 8m dollars.

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