The F1 Rich List

Much of the money involved in the world’s most expensive sport is spent on technology but a select few F1 people have become very rich.

The 2013 Sunday Times Rich List (published by the British newspaper)reveals that during his career the total earnings of Michael Schumacher amounted to (US)$810 million, second only to golfer Tiger Woods($889m). In this category of high earning sportsmen Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen are ranked 18^th and 20^th, with respective earnings of $179m and $164m.

According to the list of the richest British F1 drivers Lewis Hamilton has so far earned $94 million and Jenson Button $91m, while the now-retired champions are led by Nigel Mansell with a total wealth of $78m, followed by Jackie Stewart with $66m and Damon Hill at $19m. Eddie Irvine, who was never a champion but is a shrewd investor in property, is now worth $130m.

Several F1 team principals appear on the Rich List. Former McLaren boss Ron Dennis is the wealthiest with $218m, while Frank Williams has $179m and Ross Brawn (who was given control of the Honda team when the Japanese manufacturer left, then sold it to Mercedes) has a total wealth of $156m. Eddie Jordan - a former bank clerk - sometimes struggled to keep his team from financial ruin but managed to wheel and deal his way to solvency then profited from selling Jordan Grand Prix and now has $55m in his bank account.

Three F1 personalities are ranked among the richest people in the United Kingdom. Paddy McNally, who started in the sport as a journalist, retired in 2011, selling his Allsport company that handles trackside advertising at the races and the Paddock Club that caters to VIP guests. McNally’s current wealth is listed as $686m.

Slavica Ecclestone, a former model, profited handsomely from her 2009 divorce. Her settlement, estimated as approximately 1/3 of the family fortune, amounted to $1.2 billion. His divorce was costly but the commercial brain behind the F1 business is still listed as the 26^th richest man in the UK. Bernie Ecclestone, a former car dealer, has a personal wealth of $3,900,000,000.