Lewis Hamilton plummets in sports personality rankings: Ferrari team-mate overtakes him

In 2025, Lewis Hamilton was still the world’s most marketable sports personality; now he is down to 22nd place – and behind his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has lost his top spot in the ranking of the world’s most marketable sports stars and has even fallen behind his Ferrari team-mate.

In 2025, Hamilton had still topped SportsPro’s annual list of the 50 most marketable sportspeople. However, in the 2026 ranking – based on data from the NorthStar Solutions Group – he has slipped to 22nd place.

At the top of the rankings is Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, ahead of freestyle skier Eileen Gu, basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo, footballer Erling Haaland and professional tennis player Carlos Alcaraz.

Where does world champion Kimi Antonelli rank?

Hamilton’s Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc is now the highest-ranked Formula 1 driver: he is in ninth place with 71.12 points, having been in 25th place last year. Hamilton’s ranking has fallen from 96.03 to 66.63 out of a possible 100 points. Max Verstappen is the only other Formula 1 driver in the top 50. He has climbed from 81st to 48th place.

A look beyond the top 50 to the top 100 reveals some surprising names: Oscar Piastri is in 56th place and, remarkably, ahead of his McLaren team-mate and 2025 Formula 1 World Champion, Lando Norris. Norris has dropped from 41st to 78th place. The new world champion, Kimi Antonelli, just makes it into the top 150, coming in at number 126.

Why comparing this year’s figures with last year’s is problematic

The ranking by the British sports business publication SportsPro is based on a comprehensive analysis of brand value, current performance and commercial growth potential. However, it does not measure the athletes’ actual sponsorship earnings. Furthermore, the evaluation model was fundamentally revised for 2026, which is why the rankings are only comparable to the previous year to a limited extent.

This year’s ranking covers the period from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026. Antonelli’s title win in Mexico in 2026 is therefore not factored into the assessment at all. At the same time, the assessment period covers a large part of Hamilton’s difficult first year at Ferrari. During this period, he failed to secure a podium finish at any Grand Prix.

In the 2026 Formula 1 season, however, the picture is quite different for him: Hamilton was at times in second place in the Formula 1 drivers’ championship. With three races remaining, he is in fourth place and still has a chance of finishing second behind world champion Antonelli.

Unlike most of his Formula 1 colleagues, Hamilton’s influence extends beyond the sport: for example, Hamilton runs his own drinks brand, is active in the fashion industry and is involved as a film producer. His foundation, “Mission 44”, supports under-represented groups on their path to professional life.