2007 world champion-elect Kimi Raikkonen has rocketed into fourth position on the list of the world’s top sports earners.
According to the business magazine Forbes, the Finn earns less than Tiger Woods, boxer Oscar de la Hoya and golf’s Phil Mickelson, but more than any of his grand prix competitors.
28-year-old Raikkonen’s earnings boost this year came courtesy of his new multiple year Ferrari deal, in which he earns (US) $40m per season — almost as much as his predecessor Michael Schumacher did in the same role last year.
But even in retirement, Schumacher still earns more than any current F1 driver with the exception of Raikkonen. Forbes ranks him fifth on the 2007 sports earnings list, with his $36m attributable to ongoing sponsorship deals.
Both Raikkonen and Schumacher feature ahead of football’s David Beckham ($33m) on the Forbes list, with MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi trailing in ninth place with $30m.
The television station ‘Italia1’ quoted Raikkonen as commenting at the weekend: “Obviously I am pleased with how things have gone.
“I have made some money through my racing, but I remain convinced that although it makes your life easier, it does not change anything else about you.
“I enjoy the same things that I enjoyed before, even though I can now buy anything I want,” he added.
