Formula 1 has a new ‘most marketable’ driver as Hamilton falls

©McLaren

40

Formula 1 has a new marketability king, and the honour comes once again with a distinctly Ferrari flavour.

Charles Leclerc has emerged as the sport’s most commercially attractive driver, overtaking Scuderia team-mate Lewis Hamilton in SportsPro’s latest ranking of the world’s 50 Most Marketable Athletes.

Hamilton, who occupied pole position in last year’s edition, has suffered a spectacular slide down the commercial pecking order.

The seven-time world champion has plunged from first to 22nd in the 2026 rankings, his marketability score tumbling from 96.03 to 66.63 out of 100.

That still puts the 41-year-old alongside football stars Neymar and Vinicius Junior, but his Ferrari stablemate now holds bragging rights in a different arena.

Leclerc leads F1's commercial charge

Leclerc occupies ninth place overall with a score of 71.12, making him the highest-ranked Formula 1 driver. The Monegasque also boasts an impressive second-place ranking among all 247 athletes assessed for brand equity.

NorthStar Solutions Group president Chris Collins, whose organisation compiles the data, explained the appeal to BlackBook Motorsport:

"He ranks second of all 247 athletes we assessed on brand equity, built on how he presents himself, a compelling personal story and premium partners who keep choosing to work with him.

"As one of the most-followed drivers on the grid, it’s little surprise to see his audience scores performing well, but it also emphasises that his followers actively interact with his profile. He also benefits from a high audience breadth score, an expected outcome for all Formula 1 drivers thanks to their global profile.”

Hamilton’s decline, meanwhile, appears to have less to do with his personal brand than the inevitable passage of time.

"What keeps him below the top 10 isn’t his brand, it’s time,” insisted Collins. “At 41, there is naturally less career runway ahead, and a forward-looking assessment should read a great career in its later chapters exactly that way.”

A mixed picture for F1's champions

Elsewhere, four-time world champion Max Verstappen sits 48th, ahead of George Russell (55th) and Oscar Piastri (56th).

Reigning world champion Lando Norris has endured an even steeper fall, dropping from 41st to 78th, while newly crowned champion Andrea Kimi Antonelli is only 126th, behind Pierre Gasly in 91st.

Read also: F1 teams reach record $50 billion valuation led by Ferrari

MotoGP superstar Marc Marquez, meanwhile, occupies 86th place.

At the summit sits tennis star Aryna Sabalenka, ahead of freestyle skiing sensation Eileen Gu, basketball's Giannis Antetokounmpo, footballer Erling Haaland and Carlos Alcaraz.

For Hamilton, the commercial crown has slipped. And rather awkwardly, it now resides in the other Ferrari garage.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook

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.