Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTJing PanSat, June 13, 2026 at 12:15 PM GMT+2 9 min readMoneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below.Lewis Hamilton is taking heat after saying no one should be allowed to have billions of dollars — a comment critics say rings hollow coming from one of the richest drivers in Formula 1.In a viral clip, Hamilton was asked what law he would create if everyone in the world had to follow it. His answer: something to address the gap between the rich and the poor.Top PicksThe ultra-rich use these 5 real estate strategies to build wealth while they sleep — you can start with just $100The IRS usually taxes gold as a collectible — but this little-known strategy lets you hold physical bullion tax-free. Get your free guide from Priority GoldDave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake — here’s how to fix it ASAP“One of the things that I struggle with every day, and it’s just how life is, and it’s been this way for thousands of years, is that there is such a disparity between the wealthy and the poor,” Hamilton said (1).He pointed to the homelessness he sees in Los Angeles as an example.“When you drive around LA there’s still so many people living on the streets,” he said. “You shouldn’t be able to have billions, right, I think there should be a limit to how much you can have because there’s enough to go around to everyone.”Hamilton added that he did not know exactly how such a law should be implemented, but said the goal would be to create “more equality and equal access for everyone.”The clip comes from Hamilton’s 2023 appearance on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, but it has resurfaced and exploded on X, where one post of the exchange has drawn more than 21 million views.And the backlash has been swift.Critics cry hypocrisyHamilton is not a billionaire. But he is one of the richest and highest-paid athletes in the world, with his fortune widely estimated to be in the ballpark of $500 million.That made his comments an easy target for critics who argued that the seven-time F1 world champion is hardly speaking from the sidelines of the wealth divide.Some pointed to his long-running status as one of Formula 1’s most marketable stars. Others highlighted his current ties to Ferrari, luxury brands and the ultra-wealthy ecosystem surrounding F1.But the sharpest criticism focused on where Hamilton lives.Hamilton has long been associated with Monaco, the tiny Mediterranean principality famous for its yacht-filled harbor, luxury real estate and favorable tax rules. Monaco does not collect personal income tax, capital gains tax or wealth or property tax from residents, making it one of the world’s best-known tax havens for the ultra-rich.Terms and Privacy PolicyPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info