Lewis Hamilton is the most successful Formula 1 driver on the current grid, having equalled Michael Schumacher’s tally of seven Drivers’ World Championships and amassed over 100 victories.
After he joined Scuderia Ferrari HP in 2025 on a contract that is worth a reported £55 million a year, Hamilton is now the highest earner among the 22 drivers on the grid.
Along with record-breaking success on track, Hamilton has also built up a successful business empire that makes him one of the most marketable athletes in the world.
Sector takes a look at his business ventures and how he brings additional value to F1 and Ferrari.
Social Media
Before he even started a race with Ferrari, Hamilton’s move generated headlines and would later cause significant hype when he made his first appearance in red overalls.
Posting a photo of him dressed in a Ferrari race suit for the first time to his millions of followers online, analysis of the post by the sports data analytics company Sponsorly, showed that the eight million engagements were worth nearly half a million pounds alone.
AI-powered analysis showed that it was worth £46,064 to sponsor HP and £37,089 to Ferrari itself. Shell, IBM, and Puma also earned over the £35,000 mark.
Despite a tricky first season on track with the Maranello squad, the business side of Hamilton’s arrival seems to be paying off.
Dawn Apollo Films
Set up in 2022, Hamilton’s production company Dawn Apollo Films has already made an impact, having been involved with the recent Hollywood F1 movie starring Brad Pitt.
Hamilton was a consultant on the film, which went on to receive four nominations, including ‘Best Picture’ at the 2026 Oscars. It generated over £450 million at the box office globally, becoming the highest-grossing original film of 2025.
F1’s revenue hit close to £1 billion in Q2 2025, and although it was unclear how much of the total box office money went to FOM, Liberty Media chief accounting officer Brian Wendling claimed it was in the “mid-teens” on an earnings call.
Lululemon
When it comes to seeking effective brand ambassadors in sports, it is not always about attracting the biggest name on the field. Athletes who have genuine star appeal in their sport and mix that with other realms of culture enable them to increase exposure.
Hamilton became a brand ambassador for the athleisure brand Lululemon in 2025, launching his exclusive collection ‘The Lewis Hamilton Edit’, which blends the wellness aspect of the brand and high performance demanded in F1.
Although the brand is predominantly womenswear-focused, it is a sign of how things have changed now that females account for three in four new fans of F1 and represent a market split of over 40%.
Outside of his fashion collaborations, Hamilton sits on The British Fashion Council as a Menswear Ambassador, where he jointly oversees, supports, and advises on key issues facing the British design industry.
He’s also become a prominent figure at the world’s leading fashion shows, including The Fashion Awards, The Met Gala and CFDA Fashion Awards.
Perplexity AI
AI company Perplexity announced a global partnership with Hamilton in 2025, in a deal that will help it take on search engine giant Google in the technology sector.
The American company is worth nearly £7 billion and went through an evaluation process in F1 before settling on Hamilton as its first investment in a sports star.
Their logos take up a prominent place on his crash helmet, appearing in view whenever the TV feed cuts to his onboard camera.
The exact details of the deal are unknown, but the F1 calendar has a strong geographical overlap with Perplexity’s key markets, including the US, UK, Spain, Japan, Italy, Australia and Brazil.
Almave
Hamilton launched his non-alcoholic alternative to tequila called Almave in 2023, which is sold in over 800 locations across the US and recently launched in the UK.
The brand was expanded to mezcal in 2025, and attracted the attention of French liquor giant Pernod Ricard, who invested a minority stake in the brand.
The non-alcoholic market is projected to be worth £4.5 billion in 2028, according to research from International Wine and Spirits Record, representing an annual growth rate of 18% volume.
Mission 44 and Red Cross
Hamilton works with a number of charities and uses his profile and social media platforms to promote and support causes that are important to him.
Recently, he supported the Red Cross in Jordan, who were sending aid to Gaza and brought light to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.
This is in addition to putting down £20 million of his own money to launch Mission 44, which focuses on helping underrepresented groups pursuing careers in STEM for future jobs in motorsport and other partnerships with Teach First UK, Ignite and Sky.
Denver Broncos
Hamilton is now in his sixth season as a minority investor of the NFL team, the Denver Broncos, as part of the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group that purchased the franchise for £3.8 billion in 2022.
A resident of the US state of Colorado, the investment in his local NFL team continues his work as a global advocate of equality in calling for more diverse leadership in sport.
