When F1 outshone UFC: The night Lewis Hamilton raced past Conor McGregor’s limelight

Back in 2017, F1 star Lewis Hamilton and then-UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor were seen at the British Fashion Awards. The event took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Back then, Hamilton was already a four-time F1 world champion, having switched from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013. Conor McGregor was the first dual-weight champion in the UFC and was en route to boxing Floyd Mayweather in what might have arguably been his biggest pay-day in combat sports.

F1 has been gaining traction globally since the start of the 2010's, while the UFC found mainstream global audiences around the time that McGregor had his spectacular run, i.e., from 2014 to 2017. One could argue that Conor McGregor could solely be accredited for boosting the UFC's numbers when he was the organization's double-champ.

Lewis Hamilton [Left] Donatella Versace [Center] Conor McGregor [Right] at the British Fashion Awards 2017 [Image courtesy: www.espn.com]

The sports personalities were spotted taking pictures together with Italian fashion designer Donatella Versace. The pair also shared drinks with actress Jourdan Dunn, singer Rita Ora and model Irina Shayk.

It can be said that, at the time, Lewis Hamilton may have outshined 'The Notorious' that night. However, the Irish superstar quickly raised his stock through ventures in boxing, the whiskey business, apparel and clothing, and the restaurant business.

Currently, Hamilton's net worth is $285 million while McGregor's net worth as of 2023 is $200 million.

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In just nine years, Conor McGregor amassed a net worth of $200 million

Lewis Hamilton might be a more well-known sports personality, but there is no denying that McGregor has taken the moniker for the fastest growing sports personality in the world. While Hamilton has been racing in the F1 since 2007, recording a net worth of $285 million, 'The Notorious' took just nine years to reach $85 million short of that amount.

While Hamilton can be hailed as one of the greatest to ever race in Formula One, McGregor can be credited as single-handedly changing the sport of MMA forever.

Conor McGregor [Left] Lewis Hamilton [Right] [Images courtesy: @TheNotoriousMMA and @LewisHamilton (Twitter)]

At a time when Lewis Hamilton was a two-time F1 champion, Conor McGregor was working odd jobs in Dublin, Ireland, while trying to sustain his MMA career. Despite being a two-weight world champion in Cage Warriors, McGregor could barely make enough money to sustain his career, back in 2013.

Upon joining the UFC, however, McGregor impressed Dana White with his skills on the mic and within the octagon. With his close repertoir with the company president, McGregor went on to embark on one of the greatest storied careers in mixed martial arts to date. In the process, he made millions of dollars and brought international acclaim to the sport of MMA, while expanding into various other money-making ventures.