McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton has been given a $2.3 million bonus for heading the championship at the halfway point. Spain's El Mundo newspaper reports that the rookie went into his first F1 races with a retainer of a mere $400,000 and a $10,000 bonus for every point. By last Sunday his income had already exceeded $1 million.

Even is Hamilton manages to make $4million this year, that would be peanuts for a leading driver. Just consider that Ralf Schumacher has offered a pay cut of $22m if Toyota would let him keep his seat next year! He is on a retainer of $22 million.

Of course Hamilton is still in his first year. Schumacher is fighting for this not to be his last.