Is Hamilton really worth twice as much as Button?
Is Hamilton really worth twice as much as Button?
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onyx39

Original Poster:

11,349 posts

179 months

Friday 25th May 2012
quotequote all
Just read that Hamilton is about to be offered a £20 million a year 5 year deal, I know that salarys are not only down to the skill of the driver, but also your manager etc, but is Hamilton really worth (almost) twice as much as Button?

http://en.espnf1.com/mclaren/motorsport/story/7954...

heebeegeetee

30,124 posts

277 months

Friday 25th May 2012
quotequote all
Curses. I'd like to see Hamilton elsewhere than McLaren. I'm not sure they're doing him any good.

rallycross

13,737 posts

266 months

Friday 25th May 2012
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I'm not sure any of them are worth that much if Maldonado can win a grand prix yet he has to bring $20m dollars of money to get the seat.


onyx39

Original Poster:

11,349 posts

179 months

Friday 25th May 2012
quotequote all
rallycross said:
I'm not sure any of them are worth that much if Maldonado can win a grand prix yet he has to bring $20m dollars of money to get the seat.
true.... but lets see him win another one first!

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

284 months

Friday 25th May 2012
quotequote all
Seems a bit excessive to me. Lewis seems the type of driver, like Alonso, who would thrive more of he was a recognized Number 1, with a wingman beside him. Button and Hamilton, although they have different styles' seem to be just too 'equal' in both talent and points scoring ability.

woof

8,456 posts

306 months

Friday 25th May 2012
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Well is Alonso worth $42 million ( last years figure )
Wasn't Kimi in something like $50 million a year at Ferrari and Schuey was on $75million

Salaries were "slashed" a few years back - poor them wink

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

284 months

Friday 25th May 2012
quotequote all
woof said:
Well is Alonso worth $42 million ( last years figure )
Wasn't Kimi in something like $50 million a year at Ferrari and Schuey was on $75million

Salaries were "slashed" a few years back - poor them wink
I wonder how they cope?

mattikake

5,110 posts

228 months

Friday 25th May 2012
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Isn't this just a measure of how much McLaren would rather he be in a McLaren than a rival team?

foreverdriving

1,869 posts

279 months

Friday 25th May 2012
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Are Button, Hamilton and Massa all still on $10M this year? Massa must have one hell of an agent.

woof

8,456 posts

306 months

Friday 25th May 2012
quotequote all
From memory - Button is on around $10million and Lewis is on $16 million.
and that's the deal that's been in place for the last few years

Never heard Button complain about either.

onyx39

Original Poster:

11,349 posts

179 months

Friday 25th May 2012
quotequote all
woof said:
Well is Alonso worth $42 million ( last years figure )
Wasn't Kimi in something like $50 million a year at Ferrari and Schuey was on $75million

Salaries were "slashed" a few years back - poor them wink
Just read that Kimi was apparently paid 45 million Euro's NOT to drive for Ferrari... (maybe Ferrari should consider a similar deal for Massa!)
smile


woof said:
From memory - Button is on around $10million and Lewis is on $16 million.
and that's the deal that's been in place for the last few years

Never heard Button complain about either.
I am sure Button is not unhappy... this was not my point... I was asking if Hamilton was worth twice as much... in my opinion... no..

Edited by onyx39 on Friday 25th May 10:51

disco1

1,963 posts

247 months

Friday 25th May 2012
quotequote all
onyx39 said:
Just read that Hamilton is about to be offered a £20 million a year 5 year deal, I know that salarys are not only down to the skill of the driver, but also your manager etc, but is Hamilton really worth (almost) twice as much as Button?

http://en.espnf1.com/mclaren/motorsport/story/7954...
One could easily argue that LH much younger, more raw talent/pace, brings in more £ to the team and will no doubt end up a multiple WDC. Button on the other hand doesn't have time on his side, not as quick/swashbuckling and not as marketable. Seems pretty fair to me.

I'm looking forward to the 'Has Lewis broken Jenson?' thread wink

P-Jay

11,399 posts

220 months

Friday 25th May 2012
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Even this massive LH doesn't think so, but it what it'll cost them to keep him I think.

Lewis just seems to be the guy that teams would give right arms for, Button less so and I don't know why, I feel LH (like FA) can drive anything quickly, he's raw natural talent, but he's not widely regarded as a good development driver. JB on the otherhand perhaps a little less naturally fast, but he's very far from slow and he can develop cars too.

Perhaps Button's age is hurting his earning ability.

GarrettMacD

831 posts

261 months

Friday 25th May 2012
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foreverdriving said:
Massa still on $10M this year? Massa must have one hell of an agent.
Massa's agent is Nicolas Todt, son of former Ferrari F1 boss Jean Todt. At the time of Massa's signing, JT was still le grande fromage at Ferrari, although I'm sure that had nothing to do with Massa's signing...

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

284 months

Friday 25th May 2012
quotequote all
I don't think Button could give 2 hoots, to be honest. He signed his own deal, he is older, but they are different drivers. Hamilton is more marketable, I reckon, so that would play a part. As for any other ideas about who can drive what in a whatever car, well, the proof is in the points. This year, it seems neither McLaren is putting in sterling drives. Even without the various mistakes, mechanical failures, etc, it hasn't been too impressive except for the first race in Australia. Button has been driving for years now, so has probably amassed a wedge of cash he is more than happy with, and is in a team he seems happy in. I dn't think an extra x amount a year will change that much.

How will Leiws cope on a longer contract? Last year showed us that he can have issues, and can struggle in some aspects. I can see Lewis being a Ferrari driver at some point, and I think that team would suit him.

DanDC5

19,991 posts

196 months

Friday 25th May 2012
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I'd say the £100million is more down to marketing than anything else. It's rare to walk down a busy street now and not see at least one person with a Mclaren cap/t-shirt on. And pretty much always with the name Hamilton on it somewhere. It's like Beckham going to Real Madrid, they spent the money because they knew they can make it back in merchandise and the sponsorship his name brings.

Mini1275

11,098 posts

211 months

Friday 25th May 2012
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I'd say Lewis was worth a lot more than Jenson.

Doesn't seem all that strange to me although I'd take this with a pinch of salt, it is just a rumour after all.

EDLT

15,421 posts

235 months

Friday 25th May 2012
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When Button was at Honda he was paid more than Hamilton is getting now and he did far less marketing. I think he still does less than Hamilton now.

DanDC5

19,991 posts

196 months

Friday 25th May 2012
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Bedazzled said:
Five years is a big commitment given the radical changes planned in 2014. Lewis seems loyal to McLaren but I wonder if he might benefit from negotiating a shorter contract, or even driving for another team. Money probably takes second place to legacy.
Unless your names Irvine anyway...

Fire99

9,865 posts

258 months

Friday 25th May 2012
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Without getting too technical about it, I'd say Hamilton has the potential to be worth that much. Certainly his first couple of years in F1 would indicate some real brilliance and he does keep giving little glimmers of just how good he is.

However, he's not had the best of results in recent times and I guess it depends if the clever F1 bods think they can get him back on top again.
(I do hope so, he's still one of the best drivers to watch)