Lewis Hamilton, the Formula One driver who holds seven or, as some say, eight crowns, is not the highest-paid driver anymore. Shocking right? By the way, nothing has been shocking since 2021, when Max Verstappen replaced Lewis Hamilton from the winning poles of Formula One. The Red Bull star has been beating the seven-time world champion for the past two years.
In 2021 the Dutchman clinched a little controversial trophy, but last year, he defeated Hamilton by 15 wins! So no more debates about who the best was. Now, the 2022 Formula One season is over, but the competition between the rivals stayed. Recently, Lewis Hamilton once again got defeated by Max Verstappen, not in terms of scores but in getting the salary.
Earlier, for the entire last decade, Hamilton remained the driver with the most salary. Mercedes is considered the most expensive team. And one of the reasons for that is Hamilton, who consumes half of the team’s budget each year.
Getting the highest salary in a sport is a matter of pride for the athlete. Only the best, the GOAT, and the legendary one manages to get that pride. Hamilton, with his seven titles and 103 GP wins, achieved it. But unfortunately, after the winless 2022 season, Hamilton had to lose the pride of being the highest-paid driver of Formula One. Max Verstappen completely overtook him on/off the track recently.
Lewis Hamilton Will Soon Get Back To Get The Highest Salary Replacing Max Verstappen
Lewis Hamilton’s current contract with Mercedes is ending this year. However, a new career-ending deal for the Brit is getting prepared by team Mercedes which most likely will get an acceptance. However, looking at the present salary chart of Formula One, we can see that Lewis Hamilton has been replaced by the reigning world champion from the first position. Verstappen will be paid 45 million euros for driving the Red Bull car in the 2023 season. As mentioned in Racing News 365, the Red Bull star is getting the best pay alone on the grid.
Speaking of the Mercedes ace, he is getting only 29 million euros for the 2023 season. Vertappen’s salary got a hike last year in March when he signed another contract with Red Bull tying him with the team until 2028.
Meanwhile, updates on the seven-time world champion’s new contract have arrived. A French magazine named Sportune has suggested that the Silver Arrows are ready to pay Hamilton 62 million euros per season. And the contract period may stand only for two years. Mercedes boss and CEO Toto Wolff have revealed several times that Hamilton is not just a driver but a part of the team’s family.
So the driver’s age factor will definitely not part his way from Mercedes. There will always be a seat vacant for Hamilton. However, he may not be willing to drive for the team after becoming 40. But as an ambassador or in some other form, the seven-time world champion will stay in Mercedes beyond 2023 or also beyond 2025.