Lewis Hamilton has officially lost his crown as the most marketable athlete after suffering a steep drop in the annual SportsPro rankings for the 2026 edition. The seven-time world champion has plummeted from the top spot down to 22nd place, recording a total marketability score of 66.63 compared to the remarkable 96.03 he achieved last year.
This shifting commercial landscape within the Formula 1 grid sees the British star now overtaken by his Scuderia Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque driver has emerged as the highest-ranked F1 representative in ninth position with a total score of 71.12, establishing a strong presence among global sporting elites.
Speaking to BlackBook Motorsport, NorthStar Solutions Group president Chris Collins elaborated on Leclerc's impressive standing by stating that he ranks second of all 247 athletes assessed on brand equity, built on how he presents himself, a compelling personal story, and premium partners who keep choosing to work with him. Collins emphasized that as one of the most-followed drivers on the grid, his audience scores perform exceptionally well with active profile interactions.
Addressing Hamilton's drop outside the top ten, Collins pointed to the inevitable factor of career timeline. He noted that what keeps him below the top ten isn't his brand, but time, adding that at 41 years old there is naturally less career runway ahead and a forward-looking assessment should read a great career in its later chapters exactly that way.
Elsewhere in the rankings, four-time world champion Max Verstappen sits 48th, while reigning world champion Andrea Kimi Antonelli occupies 126th place. The very pinnacle of the overall list is claimed by tennis star Aryna Sabalenka. Read our in-depth analysis and stay updated with the latest paddock news on Sportrik.
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