Hamilton falls to 22nd in marketability rankings as Leclerc climbs to ninth

SportsPro’s 2026 list of the 50 Most Marketable Athletes puts Charles Leclerc at ninth, up from 25th in 2025, making him the highest-ranked Formula 1 driver. Lewis Hamilton, who topped the 2025 list, has dropped to 22nd.

Leclerc scored 71.12. Hamilton’s score was 66.63 out of 100, down from 96.03 in 2025. Max Verstappen is the only other F1 driver in the top 50: he rose from 81st in the 2025 ranking to 48th in 2026.

SportsPro created the 2026 ranking with data from NorthStar Solutions Group; its scores draw on brand equity, momentum and potential for commercial growth. The measurement period ran from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.

That window covers much of Hamilton’s difficult first season at Ferrari, when he did not finish a Grand Prix on the podium. It does not capture the full 2026 championship: Hamilton had been second in the drivers’ standings for many early-season races and was fourth, still in contention for second, with three races remaining.