With Lewis Hamilton pushing for a new £250million five-year contract with Mercedes – once again making him the sport’s top earner at £50million a year – it begs the question of where his new contract places him in comparison to other big sport stars .
Hamilton remains the face of F1 – even at 38 – and while he struggles to compete with Max Verstappen on race days, this new contract could finally allow him to overtake the Dutchman off the track.
The mega-money deal would NOT put him #1 in terms of the best sports contracts around – but would earn him a spot in the top four.
It’s football – and particularly in Saudi Arabia – where the money is reaching eye-watering heights.
Mail Sport takes a look at the biggest contracts in the world of sports…
Lewis Hamilton has demanded a five-year contract if he wants to stay at Mercedes
Cristiano Ronaldo has the most expensive contract in the sport, with his £173 million a year contract
Football is king and that has never been truer at this point than in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Money has been flowing through the Saudi Pro League since Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United – with the help of an explosive interview with Piers Morgan – to end up with Al-Nassr.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s contract is worth a staggering £173 million a year, placing him comfortably No. 1 in the battle for the highest annual salary in the sport.
The Ronaldo Effect has transformed the Saudi Pro League in terms of interest from fans around the world, as well as convincing other top stars to make the switch.
Take Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante as an example, he has skyrocketed his earnings with a move to Al-Ittihad.
The mild-mannered French footballer is believed to earn a huge salary of £86 million a year on a two-year contract in Saudi Arabia.
One of his new teammates will be Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema, who moved from Real Madrid to the Middle East on his own £86 million a year contract.
Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy and Hakim Ziyech are all being chased and the money doesn’t seem to dry up.
Outside of the top three most lucrative deals to date – Lionel Messi’s move to Inter Miami is full of add-ons that make it difficult to quantify exactly what he can earn in 12 months in the US – it’s Formula 1, NBA and NFL taking center stage.
N’Golo Kante has been revealed as an Al-Ittihad player after moving on a free transfer
Kante joins striker Karim Benzema, who was unveiled as a player for Al-Ittihad this summer
Hamilton, if he closes his huge new deal to stay with Mercedes, would finish fifth, pushing his embittered Red Bull rival Verstappen, who earns £40m a year on his five-year deal, to tenth.
Mail Sport understands that the seven-time world champion wants to continue racing to the age of 43, earning him £250 million, although it remains to be seen whether the team is willing to bow to this wish.
A source with knowledge of the lengthy negotiations told us: “Lewis wants five years, and if it was just a one-year extension, I don’t think he would accept it.
“Maybe they should compromise because while George (Russell) has probably made peace with the idea of Lewis being around for a few more years, he may not accept being in his teammate’s shadow for the long haul.” .
“There is always an attraction to Ferrari, but Lewis will probably think his only chance of winning his eighth title is to stay where he is.”
‘Money is not a delaying factor.’
Outside the top four, American sports stars occupy places six through nine.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry takes home £42.8 million each season, while Chicago Bulls star Zach Lavine earns just a little less than Curry at £42.79 million.
NBA Finals MVP and two-time league MVP Nikola Jokic, of the Denver Nuggets, is on a £42 million-a-year contract.
Stephen Curry (right), of the Golden State Warriors, earns the highest salary in the NBA
Max Verstappen is currently the highest paid driver in F1 – but that title is under pressure
Two NFL quarterbacks also crack the list of the top 10 salaries in the sport.
Lamar Jackson, of the Baltimore Ravens, won his game of chicken with the franchise to land a mega deal, earning him £41.4 million a year.
While Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles is just shy of Jackson, earning £40.27 million each season.
Verstappen is currently the highest paid driver in Formula 1, but that will all change if Hamilton gets the big five-year deal he is looking for.