Revealed: Lewis Hamilton's eight-figure value to Ferrari despite on-track form

Lewis Hamilton is bringing an extra €70 million in revenue for Ferrari this year despite his lack of on-track success in Formula 1, according to a report in the Italian press.

Hamilton’s blockbuster switch to Ferrari has proven to be a marketing and commercial coup, with the seven-time world champion delivering a level of global appeal few in F1 can match.

So while the Briton is yet to finish on the podium in 2025, his impact is already being reflected in the company’s financial results.

In the first half of 2025, the entire Ferrari operation recorded a net profit of €837 million, representing a 9% year-over-year increase.

The Italian brand doesn’t disclose the specific revenue generated by its F1 team, but its grand prix racing activities are categorised under the sponsorship, commercial contracts and branding segment on the balance sheet.

For the January-June period, coinciding with the first half of the F1 season, revenue from this segment jumped from €313 million to €396 million, fuelled by new partnerships and increased prize money from FOM.

It should also be noted that Ferrari’s ‘sporting’ revenue has steadily grown in the last few years, going up from €499 million in 2022 to €572 in 2023 and €670 in 2024 last year. This is primarily down to a substantial increase in F1’s revenue under Liberty Media, which means a bigger pot for teams to share. Ferrari also enjoys preferential commercial terms with FOM thanks to its status as F1’s longest-standing team.

Hamilton’s arrival has also boosted income for Ferrari. The 40-year-old currently boasts over 40 million followers on Instagram, more than double that of his teammate Charles Leclerc and even higher than that of Scuderia Ferrari’s (19mn) and Ferrari’s main handle (31.8mn).

Hamilton is also the richest F1 driver on the grid, earning an estimated $20mn from off-track endorsements alone. By contrast, Max Verstappen’s off-track deals are worth only $6mn a year.

How Lewis Hamilton is helping Ferrari make more money

Italian publication Gazzetta has estimated Ferrari’s return on investment (ROI) for hiring Hamilton with the help of StageUp.

Based on their findings, they concluded that Hamilton has increased Ferrari’s sponsorship income by €50 million annually.

In April 2024, shortly after Hamilton’s signing, Ferrari agreed a deal for HP to become its title sponsor for an estimated €80mn-90mn a year.

The big-money HP contract, as well as other deals, have not been impacted by Hamilton’s disappointing results on track.

Further, taking other things into consideration, Hamilton is estimated to be worth €70 million in terms of increased revenue.

Considering his salary of €40 million, according to Gazzetta, Ferrari is making a handsome return on its investment this year, even though the results on track leave much to be desired.