Lewis Hamilton has become the richest British sports star in the history of the Sunday Times Rich List, the Mercedes driver boosting his fortune to an estimated £224 million at the end of last year.
Hamilton, who conquered his sixth world title in 2019, saw his total wealth grow by £37 million, a gain that pushed the 35-year-old past the £200 million threshold hit by Britain's previous richest athlete in 2013, footballer David Beckham.
However, Hamilton might be hard pressed to rake in another £37 million this year given the current status of Formula 1.
With the sport at a standstill amid the coronavirus crisis, F1 teams are set to suffer a massive drop in revenue, with the shortfall forcing drivers - including the sport's top earners - to take a significant pay cut.
Furthermore, Hamilton has yet to commit to Mercedes for 2021 and beyond, but F1's economic downturn is unlikely to enable the 84-time Grand Prix winner to negotiate a lucrative mega deal.
Among Britain's sportsmen, Rory McIlroy is the only other professional athlete who made the main Rich List cut, thanks to a fortune that rose by £32 million to £170 million overall.
Wales footballer Gareth Bale topped the under 30-year-old Young Rich List with a net worth of £114 million thanks mainly to a high-income contract with Real Madrid.
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