Hamilton races to top rung of wealth ladder.

Lewis Hamilton is poised to become Britain's richest sports star after agreeing terms to become an ambassador for global sporting goods brand Reebok.

Despite being just five races into his second year in Formula One, the McLaren ace has proven to be something of a marketing department's dream, prompting even team boss Ron Dennis to relax his usual policy on external endorsement deals.

According to sources - and tacitly confirmed by Woking - Hamilton will sign a contract thought to be worth ?10m over the next three seasons. Add that to his speculative ?75m five-year deal with McLaren and other possible endorsement deals and the Stevenage youngster is poised to shoot past soccer's David Beckham on sport's rich list.

The former Manchester United star, now playing in the USA with LA Galaxy, is rumoured to earn ?16m a year thanks to multiple personal deals, including Pepsi. Ironically, the soft drink brand is tipped to be a future suitor of Hamilton's as the Briton became a global superstar with his debut season exploits in Formula One.

The 2006 GP2 Series champion is reckoned to be on course to at least equal Michael Schumacher's reputed ?500m career earnings, but will find even more of his time mortgaged to his sponsors. Although apparently willing to do his share of personal appearances, Hamilton - and McLaren - are growing wary of some of the things he is being asked to do, particularly after last week's Vodafone stage show in Istanbul.

On the eve of the Turkish Grand Prix weekend, the Briton was winched onto the stage during a performance of the sell-out Fire of Anatolia to play the Greek god Apollo - complete with Vodafone-logo'd overalls! Clearly bemused by the entire thing, he was moved to enquire whether the cameo appearance had seemed 'weird'...