We've always known that there is a lot of money to be made on the Formula One circuit. After all, Kimi Raikkonen finished third on the Forbes list of highest paid athletes in 2009 with $45 million, while finishing third in the Formula One standings that year. In 2008, Lewis Hamilton, became the youngest driver to win a F1 championship and the first black, earned $32 million and finished seventeenth on the Forbes list.
Now we get to find out just how much money there really is. News comes that Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso, the other member of the sports top three drivers has had his thumbs insured for nearly 9 million euros by team sponsor Santander. Sure, thumbs are valuable in driving cars, but 9 million euros? Turns out, upraised thumbs are a bit of trademark for Alonso and that coupled with their importance in driving prompted Santander to buy the insurance, especially since the team is reportedly paying him in excess of $25 million. That amount certainly makes those thumbs insurable any day.
