F1 stars among world’s top sports earners

(GMM) Formula one drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso are among the world's highest paid athletes, according to the major American sports magazine Sports Illustrated.

Raikkonen, the reigning world champion who drives for Ferrari, reportedly earned $46 million in 2007, ranking him second only to football's David Beckham on the list of highest earning sports personalities from outside the US.

Beckham, third on the worldwide list behind golfers Tiger Woods ($128m) and Phil Mickelson, topped the non-US list at $48.2m, with Sports Illustrated explaining that the cited dollar amounts are retainers plus endorsements.

Sports Illustrated also said former double world champion Fernando Alonso made $40m in 2007, which was more than the earnings of football's Ronaldinho ($37.5m), tennis' Roger Federer ($35.1m) and MotoGP star Valentino Rossi ($34m).