Can F1 Rookie Lewis Hamilton be bigger than Beckham?

F1 rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton can become even bigger than David Beckham. Yep, apparently, that's what they're saying now.

It seems it's not enough for Lewis Hamilton to compete with his more popular, not to mention the defending two-time F1 World Champion, teammate Fernando Alonso. He is tied with Alonso for the drivers championship standings and now, it looks like he is on his way on becoming even bigger than David Beckham himself. (Although Becks has nothing to do with the sport of Formula One...)

THAT is according to a renowned publicist Max Clifford. Clifford believes that Lewis Hamilton can easily earn £100 million a year. That's obviously outdoing David Beckham and the five-year £125 million deal he signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy to play in the MLS.

That is if Hamilton can get himself known in the United States. (And marry another Spice Girl probably...)

''If he continues to go the way he has he will make almost as much money as Simon Cowell. Then you're talking about £100m a year,'' Max Clifford said about the rookie McLaren - Mercedes driver.

''The first year or two he needs to build up his profile worldwide. The one thing that I would try to do would be to establish him in America in some way or another. The American market is the biggest in the world so if he can become a star there the sky is the limit.''

''Simon Cowell would make £50m a year if he just did things over here, but because he has done it in America as well you can double that.''

''Beckham has taken football into showbiz and it is important for Hamilton to be in the news because that will make him megabucks. He has become a household name in five minutes and all aspects of his life are under a microscope.''

Coming to the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix on June 10, Lewis Hamilton is tied with the two-time F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso in the drivers championship standings with 38 points. Both McLaren drivers will be going for the lead in Canada.

Now I don't know if Max Clifford here gets a hard on every single time he talks about Lewis.

Can Lewis Hamilton win the F1 World Title in his rookie year? Who will win the F1 drivers championship? Bodog has the odds.

Kimi Raikkonen 7/4

Fernando Alonso 7/4

Lewis Hamilton 9/2

Felipe Massa 5/2

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for more F1 betting odds and the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2007 F1 Season Lewis Hamilton