Hamilton laments 'stone-age' approach to sporting equality
Hamilton laments 'stone-age' approach to sporting equality
Lewis Hamilton says the lack of women in Forbes' 100 highest-earning athletes shows that sport remains in "the stone age" with regard to gender equality. Hamilton ranked as the 12th highest earner in 2017, having made $51million as he won his fourth Formula 1 world drivers' title.
Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel (18th, $42.3m) and Fernando Alonso (39th, $33m) were the only motorsport stars ranked in a top 100 dominated by American athletes from the NFL and NBA.
Floyd Mayweather Jr was sport's best-paid star in 2017, earning $285m from his cross-combat megafight with UFC champion Conor McGregor, who ranked fourth.
READ MORE: Hamilton confirmed as motorsport's richest star
READ MORE: Hamilton predicts pain for Mercedes in Montreal
Serena Williams was the only female presence in the 2017 list, but the tennis grand-slam star's absence from action for much of last year after falling pregnant meant she dropped out.
Hamilton sees no reason why female athletes should not earn the same as their male counterparts, and has called for change.
"Well there are no women drivers so I don't see how Formula 1 has anything to do with it," said Hamilton when quizzed on the lack of females in the list. "But that just shows you how behind we are in the world.
"There is no reason women should not be able to earn what men are able to earn.
"Serena is in the top three of the greatest athletes of all-time above a lot, if not all, that are on that list so it is big, big question, why?
"Women rule the world. I don't understand.
"It just shows you we are still in the stone age. That needs to change."
Lella Lombardi is the last woman to start an F1 race at the 1976 Austrian Grand Prix for Brabham.
The likes of Susie Wolff, Maria de Villota and Carmen Jorda have all fulfilled development and test roles for F1 teams in recent years without securing race seats. Colombian GP3 racer Tatiana Calderon is currently contracted to Sauber as test driver.
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Former team boss quizzed on role in Newey's Red Bull exit
- 45 minutes ago
RB reveal STRIKING new livery ahead of Miami GP
- 1 hour ago
EXCLUSIVE: Insider claims F1 Academy and W Series couldn't co-exist
- 2 hours ago
Wolff delivers big verdict on Hamilton behaviour
- 3 hours ago
Red Bull partner reveals HUGE F1 2026 entry details
- Today 17:57
Hamilton salutes New York after making F1 HISTORY
- Today 16:57
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860