Sports · Motorsport · 46 mins ago
Leclerc overtakes Hamilton as F1's highest-ranked marketable athlete
Charles Leclerc is the highest-ranked Formula 1 driver in SportsPro's 2026 marketability rankings, placing ninth overall.
Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton fell from first last year to 22nd, while Leclerc rose from 25th to ninth.
The list is led by Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, ahead of skier Eileen Gu, basketball player Giannis Antetokounmpo, footballer Erling Haaland and tennis player Carlos Alcaraz.
The rankings combine measures of brand strength, recent momentum and potential for commercial growth.
They draw on data from July 2025 to June 2026, a period that included much of Hamilton's difficult first season with Ferrari.
Leclerc scored higher than Hamilton in brand equity and commercial trajectory, while Hamilton's score fell to 66.63 from 96.03; Leclerc scored 71.12.
Max Verstappen ranked 48th, Oscar Piastri 56th and Lando Norris 78th, while new champion Kimi Antonelli placed 126th.
Antonelli's title win came after the period covered, so it was not reflected in his ranking.
Charles Leclerc is the highest-ranked Formula 1 driver in SportsPro’s 2026 marketability rankings, placing ninth.
Lewis Hamilton, who topped the 2025 list, fell to 22nd and is now behind his Ferrari team-mate.
Leclerc scored 71.12 out of 100, while Hamilton scored 66.63.
Aryna Sabalenka topped the overall rankings, ahead of Eileen Gu, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Erling Haaland and Carlos Alcaraz.
The rankings use data covering July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
- Who
- Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, with other athletes included in SportsPro’s rankings.
- What
- Leclerc ranked ninth among the most marketable athletes, ahead of Hamilton in 22nd.
- When
- The 2026 rankings were reported on November 11, 2026.
- Where
- The rankings cover athletes internationally; no single location is stated.
- Why
- The scores combine brand equity, momentum and commercial trajectory.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Hamilton topped SportsPro’s marketability rankings with a score of 96.03.
The data period used to calculate the 2026 marketability rankings.
Reports published the 2026 rankings, with Leclerc ninth and Hamilton 22nd.
- Leclerc
- 9th; score of 71.12
- Hamilton
- 22nd; score of 66.63
- Rankings leader
- Aryna Sabalenka
- Data period
- July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026
- Other F1 drivers in top 50
- Max Verstappen, 48th
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What people are saying
one of the strongest established brands of any athlete in the world.