Formula 1 is a global sport. Naturally, with being a sport that has a global viewership in the millions, comes the inherent power to mint money. Lewis Hamilton has marked himself as the poster boy and the face of Formula 1. It shouldn’t be a surprise to see him on a high-ranking list of the most recognizable athletes.

Lewis Hamilton has been recognized on a list of the world’s most famous athletes. The list was confirmed and released by Sports Media Pro. The list ranks the top 50 athletes in terms of their marketability. But how did Hamilton fare against the world’s best athletes?

According to the report, “The list includes a marketability value of each star, with Hamilton marked at 64.58%, with his ‘brand strength’ 20 out of 20.”

He was ranked 3rd in the list of 50. And he had good company, too. “Hamilton finds himself third on the list, and is only bettered by tennis legend Serena Williams in second and footballing great Cristiano Ronaldo who tops the list in first.”

However, the Brit was quite ahead of Max Verstappen, who sat at 33 on the list.

Read More: “I Can Win Races If…”: 8X GP Winner Daniel Ricciardo Confident of Finding Lost Touch Despite Two Difficult Years at McLaren

Lewis Hamilton has climbed this list by sheer talent and the time he has put into F1 and other aspects of his life. However, according to a certain Dutch driver, Lewis Hamilton has been more than a bit lucky in his exploits as the most successful F1 driver of all time.

Lewis Hamilton only thrived because of “luck” says Dutch racing driver

Lewis Hamilton has carved a niche for himself in F1. More wins than anyone in F1 ever and 7-time World Championships. This must be sheer talent, right? However, according to Dutch racing driver Renger van der Zande, Lewis Hamilton has only thrived through luck.

Talking to Formule1, the 36-year-old has said, “I have often said in recent years Hamilton has the luck of a champion. That you just hit something with a wing, but it doesn’t break. You can now also see that kind of happiness at moments when it matters.”

He continued, “A champion’s luck is like being in a casino on a roll, everything is just fine. That you are fourth, but the number one and two collide and you still win.”

Watch This Story: Christian Horner Speaks On Possible Audi-Porsche Partnership

Can Lewis Hamilton grab that elusive 8th World Title with Mercedes?