It's funny no briton complaining about the money this guy is stealing from you. All the money you spent in taxes to give all the chances to this kid, now he is paying his taxes in a foreing country to avoid giving back part of what he has received.

How much of that money belongs to UK and are getting nothing? 35M? In spain he should be paying 40m after having enjoyed social security, education, protection etc. when he had nothing.

And he'll still become best british sportman next year.

P.S. Same applies to Alonso and the others, who should be prosecuted for traison, tax evasion or at least expelled from the country. They are rejecting the citizenships that made them rich.

Miguel Galarraga, Madrid, Spain

Hamilton has been paid by his results from last year. If he
had flopped at Mclaren, he would obviously not be getting
this new deal, and Alonso would probably had stayed
with the team. You are paid by what you achieve, and given
that he was such a 'novice', as some have alleged, he
didn't do too bad did he?
Raikkonen gets such a big paycheck because Ferrari know
they have the next best thing to Michael Schumacher
driving their car, and thus the best chance of becoming
champions. He doesn't moan, winge, or tear down
motorhome doors when things don't go his way, he
just drives the car as quickly as he can.
Who needs a driver who ends up third in a championship and
costs you $100 million in the process? I DON'T THINK SO!

james hunt, lady lake, usa / florida

+1 Overrated

Rexor, Alicante, Spain

But Helen from Norwich without the F1 there would'nt be the Money to Invest...Doh

Will, hannover, Germany

I've read a few of the above comments questioning the rationale behind Lewis Hamilton earning so much and I count such remarks as ludicrous. Before spectators of the sport make value judgements on his income they need to appreciate what a British talent he is whose historical relationship with maclaren goes back almost a decade. Though still very young, Lewis Hamilton's pedigree in the sport is right up there with the likes of Tiger Woods and Federer in their respective fields and rather than question his earnings or remunerations i feel the British public should embrace and celebrate such a huge talent. He has indeed brought formula 1 to a mainstream audience like Tiger made golf sexy again. So rather than hate we should appreciate hardwork, dedication and excellence because this young man's rising career encapsulates all.

JL SHASH, Hertfordshire,

Form an orderly queue ladies. Not only is he gorgeous, charming and talented, but extremely rich!

Betty Cave, London,

I actually think this is a rubbish deal for hamilton. Considering what Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna were getting paid, McLaren should pat themselves on the back - this is a potential multiple world champion. It's possible that in 3 years time, he will be the best driver on the circuit and McLaren would only be paying him 10-15 million a year (less than what Ralf Schumacher got paid by Toyota and Jacques Villeneuve by BAR) - Anthony Hamilton should have secured a short 2 year contract for 15-20 million with big win bonuses, and renegotiated a huge contract from McLaren, Toyota, Honda, BMW, Renault or Ferrari - rich teams desperate to win.

Nik, Edinburgh,

what elias said! Bunch of misery guts, he's revitalised the sport, seems like a sportsman and is a great British ambassador. As if he's going to turn it down, if that's what's on the table who is he to refuse it!

Gavin Sullivan, Cardiff, UK

Hamilton should say thank you very much Fernando Alonso instead of bashing him. How well performed the McLaren cars before the arrival of Alonso ?

Janet Welch, Amsterdam,

What is this? The prize for having miserably lost last year's championship? Definitely overrated! My policy: show me a world championship first, then I will consider to give you such a contract.

Dr O, Miami,

Not all the rest of the world is happy with HAM way TO succeed.

Specially if we see hungary, when HAM not accepted the team agrements to a get real pilot equal treatment, or most of the time being favoured by Ron, who not considered the real contributions of each pilot as a whole to the team succes and he just saw what he wanted to see, that both pilots seem able to be equal in track.

That could be true if you don't know that Alonso had to get used to the tyres and to the car during the first part of the season, whyle HAM had been from years getting used to the car and yes the circuits too, using Mac's simulator.

HAM was the best prepared guy to reach the F1, nobody even Ayrton had that huge chance and he spolied at the end, in the most important moment when he just needed two points in two races.

A lot of people and not just Spaniards prefers Alonso's succes rather than other pilots and more over HAM. Yes because due to the unfair treatament to Alonso from MC and yes from HAM too.

Jose, Oviedo,

It's amazing - going by some of the comments here - just how sad and envious many Brits are! The rest of the world is happy for Lewis (like I definitely am) but some Brits just can't ever be! It's no wonder Lewis now resides in a different country!
Best of luck on the circuit this year mate! :) Shown them who's the real deal Lewis!

Elias, Stevenage, UK

Overrated

Giuseppe Moschella, London,

too much, too much.
Next season we´ll see he can´t win at all. then...

jms, madrid, Spain

What a joke! How many titles has this brat won?
We'll see what he does this year without the traction.

Albert, London, UK

How polluting is this 'sport' not just the actual racing, but the preparation, the building of circuits, the emulation by others? The money would be better spent doing something helpful for the enviornment and the people around the tracks.

helen, Norwich,

Lewis Deserves it. Amazing performance.

Chris, Chennai, INDIA

To be honest, recent F1 seasons have been a little dull. Last years Championship brought a lot of old fans back to the screens. Hamilton is great for the sport and his package is only a fraction of what companies earn on the back of him. Good luck to him!

Simon Phillips, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

He is paid what he's paid because McLaren and their sponsors think he's worth it. He will enhance their brands and they think they will sell more product by backing him than through conventional TV advertising.

In spite of Max Mosley, F1, properly used, is a highly successful medium for promoting brands. How many people outside the UK and Netherlands had heard of ING before they sponsored Renault?

Conventional advertising is still hugely expensive. Extraordinary as it may seem, £70m is not a very big budget to promote a worldwide brand.

As for not winning anything Piero, I thought he won four races last year!

Richard Williams, London, UK

Ridiculous sums of money. The sport is out of control.

Tony Harrison, Wokingham, UK/Berks

It's a pity, all this amount of money for someone who didn't win anything. Well, in fact he loss a championship. In my job is the opposite: if you don't do a good job, they don't pay you. What an amazing world! Unbelievable

Piero Chow, TAipa, Macao China

Well deserved I say. Let's hope he brings home the title this year. What an inspiration!

A Parker, London,