The great thing about Lewis Hamilton is that he's clearly a nice guy, and he has the same kind of social communication skills that Moss and Stewart had (and still have). It's early days, but he looks like he'll endure as a personality as they have.

Lyndon, Brandon, Canada

I´m from spain and I don´t understand why in the english press you never mention Fernando Alonso earns..... Hamilton earn lesss and less money than fernando and run less and les when don´t copy the fernando´s car set up........... Lewys it´s a good copy man and Mclaren was nothing the las 3 years without Alonso........ If Ron Denis forget that Alonso it´s a 2 times F1 Champion I´m sure Ferrary will win this championship.......... and How many engish F1 drivers win more than 2 championships?????? ALONSO FOREVER

VICENTE, Madrid, Spain

Fair or not, it is undeniable that Hamilton as a successful non-White driver has generated interest in a sport that is not normally the preserve of Blacks (Mr Henderson, you can call "THEM" Black, it's okay). This interest ultimately translates to money for the sponsors for which they are prepared to pay. It's not fair that footballers get paid more than nurses (the old cliche) - It's simply the laws of economics.

Bayo, London,

I `m confused !!
The only think he has won in F1 is nine podiums,nine trophies .
That`s it !! I know he`s a good driver , but by giving him all
that money for nine trophies ?
You really think that he will win anymore races ?
Hahahahaha !!!! Maybe , maybe he will finish on a podium
again , but I don`t think he will win races . He `s been lucky !
He needs to learn how to set up his own car , and not coping
from , Alonso , and so on .
He has not been put under any pressure yet from a good
driver , except Alonso !
Time will tell

Sebastiano, Toronto, Canada

Sports is business. We don't complain about how much CEOs get paid. Why are we complaining about how much sportsmen get paid?

tiks, nanchang, china

Hamilton is mixed race, not black, why is everything in this nation always has to be certified by race. He is half carribbean and his mother is I believe English. This newspaper should understand that if he can be said to be black, he also can be called a white man.It is 50/50. It is 21st century weird for him to be called black and not white too. Except subconsciously people still hold onto the dreary old notion that since his has drops of black blood, he can't be termed white.The appropriate wording should be mixed. The fact that he or the paper may claim otherwise does not change the facts.He is a mixed damn good driver.

chunfla Burlbe, London, uk

Being black and talented in an elitist sport like golf, Formula 1, polo, equestrian, sailing, aerobatics, etc. is a guaranteed crowd puller hence the massive pay enjoyed by Tiger Woods and very soon, Lewis Hamilton.

Kenyan, Nairobi, Kenya

Hamilton has had the most exciting debut F1 season since Jacques Villeneuve. If he can make more money commercially because he is black then why is that wrong? I think this is called positive discrimination. It is not just his colour that sells it is his ability on the track and personality off it. He is a role model for youngster’s black, asian or white. Granted Jack, Ferrari made their car better at the French GP but Hamilton's failure of your "great" test does not make him NOT a true champion, he is leading the world championship in a team with the current world champion who is currently regarded as the best driver on the F1 circuit who twice beat the "great" Schumacher to two world championships. I believe that you rated Schumacher and Senna over a whole season and not just a single race like you have Hamilton?

Sunny, Leicester, England

Can we stop mentioning colour here? He's a racing driver.

Jake, London, UK

Does it really matter that he's black. Surely the fact that he's black and he's getting paid more on the back of it is discriminatory? This racial coin is so one sided. You're not allowed to call them black when it could be misconstrued as being negative but on the other hand its a massive selling point. Surely he should be being paid the same as the other top drivers no more?

Shaun Burtons-Henderson, Whitby, North Yorkshire

Whether Hamilton is a true F1 great should depend not on his colour but surely his talent.
Presently he has done very well in a car that was a class above the rest of the field, a true champion takes a car that is uncompetitive and places it further up the grid than where it belongs that makes them "great" . Senna and Schumacher being the obvious examples.
When Ferrari made their car better at the French GP last week, Hamilton failed the "great" test. I fear he is a standard F1 driver with marketing behind him because of what he his, not his true talent. As such the press dogs will be licking their lips waiting to pounce.

jack, uk,

No doubt that Hamilton should reap his just rewards, but this kind of money for doing something that thousands of us would have given our life blood to do seems a bit over the top to me. I know he is attracting more money into the game and deserves to be treated with the same financial respect that others have been afforded but I wonder if some of this money would be better spent on improving the circuits. In the fullness of time I suspect Hamilton will be a huge donater of funds to underprivalidged kids who want to learn to race. Quite frankly whats the difference in earning 20 million a year of 50 million, ones life style is not going to be any different and I doubt he would resign because of being underpaid if this was the norm.

keith manton, houston, usa