Lewis Hamilton is the richest of them all!

©LewisHamilton

Three-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is the richest sportsman in the UK, according to the Sunday Times rich list to be published tomorrow.

The Mercedes driver comfortably heads the field with an estimated £131 million, or a more than £25 million increase over the past year.

Semi-retired McLaren driver, who will be back in the driving seat at Monaco at the end of the month, just missed a spot on the podium with a total estimated fortune of £ 86million.

Hamilton, who has been racing in Formula 1 since 2007, is a resident of Switzerland but insists he still makes a hefty contribution to his home country.

"What people don’t realise is that I pay tax here, but I don’t earn all my money here," Hamilton told the Sunday Times Style magazine.

"I race in 19 different countries, so I earn my money in 20 different places and I pay tax in several different places, and I pay a lot here as well.

"I am contributing to the country and, not only that, I help keep a team of more than 1,000 people employed. I am part of a much bigger picture."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.