Raikkonen, Hamilton Make Forbes Sports List

He might have to wait just a bit longer until he can get back in his winning ways in Formula One – as it's been more than a year since he last clinched an F1 win – but Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen is surely not having any financial problems in the process. As Forbes magazine can reveal, the Ferrari-an is the highest paid racing driver in the world.

According to the famous financial magazine, Raikkonen's earnings for a full season are estimated at around $45 million. The money doesn't come exclusively from his current deal with the Italian company, but also from retainers, personal sponsorships and other interests.

North American basketball player Kobe Bryant and legendary NBA retiree Michael Jordan are allegedly earning the same amount of money per year. Therefore, all three sportsmen share the 2nd spot in the overall standings, behind Tiger Woods ($110 million). Raikkonen is also ranked above David Beckam in the earnings classification, as the LA Galaxy footballer is currently making $42 million a year.

In the motor racing world, the second best placed competitor is 5-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi ($35 million). In Formula One, reigning champion Lewis Hamilton is the only driver “playing in the same league” as Kimi, as the McLaren drivers is currently earning $32 million a year.

Raikkonen, Hamilton and 2-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso are currently the highest-paid drivers in Formula One. They are the only active F1 drivers to have clinched at least one world title of their own. From all three, only Alonso committed to a cut in salary ahead of this season, to help his team cope with the economic crisis.