Hamilton to be $4m man in 2007

(GMM) Lewis Hamilton has been granted a pay-rise after reaching the middle of the 2007 season as F1's championship leader.

The impressive and ultra-consistent British rookie started the season with a modest retainer of about (US) $400,000 and a $10,000 per point bonus.

As of the British grand prix, then, he made his first million.

According to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, however, a clause in his contract was triggered at Silverstone, the ninth round of the season.

As he passed the half-way point of 2007 at the very top of the drivers' world championship, Hamilton automatically qualified for a cool $2.3m bonus.

If he scores another 50 points in the remaining eight races this year, Hamilton's initially paltry salary will have ballooned to nearly $4m — disregarding any more contractual bonuses for possibly winning the title.