Forbes Reports that Raikkonen is tied for the Second Highest Paid Athlete

With income of $45MM. Tied with Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan (who's RETIRED).

http://www.forbes.com/2009/06/17/top-earning-athletes-business-sports-top-earning-athletes_slide_5.html?partner=yahoosports

SHOCKING! For such lackluster performance? Anyway, good on him for negotiating such a deal with LdM.

And, LH was tied for 13th, in case you're wondering. $32MM. After ONE season?! Pay is OUT OF CONTROL in F1. Seriously.

Valentino Rossi was 9th, with $35MM.

CW

 

How's he rank on the "bad investment" quotient? Seems like the guy should return some money until he does something.

 

Very funny post!

Ya, what a terrible investment. He's been with the team for 2 1/2 seasons and he's only produced 1WDC and helped the team win 2 WCC's. All the while not ever feeling comfortable with the car that the team has given him.

 

+1

Lets compare...

Ralphie "should have been a" Schumacher...
David Coulthard
Mark Webber
Jarno Trulli
...

How much have these guys made in their career?

 

Well, as far as the WCC is concerned, that's a TEAM award. So, while the driver IS certainly important, we're talking about a team that won that championship. Without FM, a super car, and a VERY hard working team, the WCC would not have happened. So, while a single driver can make up for a bad car in the WDC, it's much harder for a team to win the WCC if the car(s) are poor. You have to have TWO top-shelf drivers.

Furthermore, he inherited a VERY good car from Schumacher, probably the best on the grid despite McLaren's closing the gap, with which he won his WDC. So, it's somewhat hard to fully credit KR with that. And, if you want to get REALLY technical about it, LH pretty much handed it to KR through his own bone-headed mistakes. Now, maybe in the end, that doesn't matter, but if I were the one negotiating against KR's agent, I'd be arguing that KR's contribution wasn't as great as KR, and you, would like to claim.

So, if KR a good driver? Certainly. He's won a WDC. Is he a great driver? I'd argue no.

But, Simon, you're post just makes my comment about F1 pay, in general, more accurate and relevant. It's bonkers!

CW

 

Nike seems to have the money to link everyone.

 

Dunno, have they ever driven a red car from Maranello ?
There might your answer be.

 

Why not? Good on them if they can dig up a funbag amount of money. I'd rather these guys earn buckets of money for driving around and having unimaginable fun than CEO's flying corporations into the ground with alarming frequency and at astounding rates of payola.

 

He won a title. How is that lackluster?

 

It is incredible Michael Jordan still makes that much.

 

+1.

Kimi is one of the best in F1 currently. The car isn't up to the job right now. Last year in season Pt.2 Ferrari gave the car chassis updates which they thought worked but sadly it didn't suit Kimi's driving style.

Tell me, schumacher in 2005. He won one race (which had 6 cars starting). IIRC he was paid around $50m that year. Was Schumacher a bad investment to that season

 

Not even in the running, compared to my 401K.

 

In the context of F1 pay, shouldn't Schumacher have been the undisputed pay king? If you add in all his endorsements and other such income, he clearly was. But for pure pay from their driving contracts, should KR, LH or FA even be in the same stratosphere?

CW

 

It is but IMO he is still arguably one of if not the best player to ever play the game....and he basically single-handedly made Nike the empire it is today.