Aboard the F1 gravy train

Whether you're watching the British Grand Prix free of charge on TV or you've spent your hard earned cash buying tickets for the biggest and most important race in the UK, wouldn't you love a little insight into who's made what in the lucrative world of Formula One?

Here's a glimpse into how rich - and comparatively poor - a handful of the active and not so active F1 'stars' are today.

Johanna Quandt - £13,000 million
The ageing lady (and her grateful family) effectively owns BMW, the German car maker which in turn has more than a passing interest in the BMW Sauber F1 outfit which celebrated its first ever win last month. Unbelievably, her wealth is understood to have jumped by almost £1 billion between 2007 and 2008 and, I suspect, she has the time and motivation to become richer still.

Bernie and Slavica Ecclestone - £2,400 million
Uncle Bernie is the 77-year-old Godfather of F1 and like it or not, he can be thanked for making the sport the global phenomenon that it is today including letting us, the fans, still watch for free on TV and not pay-per-view. Mrs Ecclestone, 49, doesn't play a high profile role in her husband's motor racing empire but she deserves credit where it's due because she keeps busy giving away around £1 million a week to charities.

Paddy McNally - £610 million
The 70 year old was one of Bernie's right hand men for years, taking care of important and lucrative business such as trackside advertising and hospitality and several other activities that helped keep the F1 show on the road.

Tom Wheatcroft - £125 million
When Wheatcroft owned Donington Park he did the unthinkable and managed to stage a F1 race at the unlikely venue. He's just sold the circuit, is now worth £125m and is therefore a very happy 85 year old.

Eddie Irvine - £120 million
I know what you're thinking: ex-F1 driver Eddie Irvine isn't involved in F1 any more. But he did secure lovely jubbly contracts when he drove for Ferrari and Ford/Jaguar and invested his colossal wages in wise property deals and therefore ranks as one of our wealthiest former drivers - if not THE wealthiest.

Ron Dennis - £110 million
Seems like he’s been around for ever as McLaren team boss, but Big Ron is still 'only' 60 and has several years of earning potential left in him. He had a bad 12 months when his team was fined £50m, excluded from the 2007 Constructors Championship and he split from his wife. Despite all this, Ron's wealth grew by £30m (to £110m) in 2008 versus 2007.

Eddie Jordan - £40 million
The former Jordan team owner and employer of, among others, Eddie Irvine is more than comfortable with the £40m he sits on today. Life could be worse for the likeable Dubliner who recently celebrated his 60th birthday by buying himself a £10m yacht.

Jenson Button - £35 million
Button is the 13th richest young person in Britain and by the time he retires from the sport he's likely to have trousered around £50m. That should ease the pain of just one GP win in nearly 150 attempts.

Lewis Hamilton - £15 million
Don't feel sorry for 'poor boy' Lewis just because he's bottom of this little list. He's only had one full season in F1 but he's already had considerably more success than Button and if he carries on at this rate he'll be on course for numerous win and up to £200m over the next decade or so.

Mike Rutherford is a freelance writer, broadcaster and pro-car activist. Currently writing weekly columns for The Daily Telegraph and Auto Express, and monthly columns for The Independent and Motoring & Leisure, he presented Pulling Power on ITV and is a member of the World Car of the Year jury.

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