How much is number 1 worth? Sinner pulls away, Antonelli chases him — but Kimi is already king on social media
Toto Wolff will probably forgive Italian fans for the enthusiasm — bordering on collective euphoria — with which they talk about Jannik Sinner while thinking about Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and talk about Antonelli while thinking about Sinner. But honestly, how long has it been since Italy simultaneously had two athletes competing at the very top of world sport while also becoming genuine global icons?
The names that come to mind are Valentino Rossi and Federica Pellegrini between the late 2000s and early 2010s, or perhaps Alberto Tomba and Roberto Baggio during the first half of the 1990s.
Of course, the Mercedes team principal is right in believing that direct comparisons between the two are somewhat misleading. Jannik Sinner, now 24 years old, reached the number one spot in the ATP rankings back in 2024, remaining there for 65 consecutive weeks before returning to the top again this season through an extraordinary series of victories, rewriting records previously belonging to the “holy trinity” of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, meanwhile, is only 19 years old. He made his Formula 1 debut in 2025 and, in March, claimed his first Grand Prix victory before adding three more consecutive wins and jumping to the top of the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship standings.
One thing, however, is absolutely certain: both the present and the future now appear to be in the hands of these two modern-day sporting heroes. Fans know it — and investors know it too.
Jannik Sinner: a multimillion-euro global brand
The world number one in tennis has effectively become a company worth tens of millions of euros in annual turnover. Beyond his tournament prize money — already worth 4.7 million euros in 2026 alone — Jannik Sinner’s commercial revenue generated from 14 sponsorship partnerships is estimated at around 34 million euros per year, excluding bonuses, according to estimates provided by sponsorship marketplace ChainOn for Gazzetta dello Sport.
Over recent years, the Avima agency led by Alex Vittur, which manages Sinner’s image rights, has reportedly been overwhelmed by partnership requests. On one side, the objective has been to capitalize on Jannik’s explosive rise in popularity, while on the other the focus has also been on securing collaborations with brands capable of matching his increasingly international profile.
Kimi Antonelli: the beginning of a potentially enormous journey
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, by contrast, is still at the very beginning of his commercial and sporting journey and remains fully focused on racing. His management is currently handled directly by Mercedes, while his family oversees his personal affairs with the support of lawyer Riccardo Giacomin.
At the moment, the Italian Formula 1 driver does not yet have individual sponsorship agreements and instead mainly represents the commercial partners associated with the German team, ranging from clothing brands to luxury watch companies.
For now, Kimi Antonelli’s annual commercial value can be estimated at around 1 million euros, although that figure still carries relatively little significance given how quickly his situation is evolving. It should also be considered that Formula 1 drivers, unlike tennis stars, operate under strict contractual obligations with their teams regarding sponsorship activities and commercial partnerships.
Even so, Antonelli’s long-term commercial potential is already viewed as extraordinary.
The current reference points inside Formula 1 are Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, whose off-track commercial revenues are estimated between 8 and 10 million euros annually. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, exists in an entirely separate category, with sponsorship and commercial earnings reportedly reaching around 30 million euros.
“Over a medium-to-long-term horizon, we believe Antonelli can reach sponsorship levels similar to those of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen,” suggested Giovanni Palazzi, CEO of ChainOn.
It is also worth remembering that Formula 1 driver salaries paid by teams already include a significant percentage tied to image rights. Even from this perspective, Antonelli’s potential becomes evident.
The Mercedes driver currently earns around 3 million euros plus bonuses, compared to the approximately 50 million earned by Max Verstappen, 40 million by Lewis Hamilton and 35 million by Charles Leclerc.
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