Lewis Hamilton's wages at Ferrari will be dwarfed by what Max Verstappen would reportedly earn if the reigning world champion joins Mercedes.
The Silver Arrows are said to be preparing a record-breaking offer to make Verstappen the highest-paid athlete in the world.
Hamilton will leave Mercedes at the end of this season after 12 years with the team, where he has won six of his seven world titles.
The Brit exercised an option in his contract to move to Ferrari in 2025 and fulfil a childhood dream of racing for the Italian giants.
Lewis Hamilton's wages at Ferrari could be dwarfed by Max Verstappen at Mercedes
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According to Forbes, Hamilton's existing contract at Mercedes pays him £43.6million per season.
A report from La Gazzetta dello Sport says that Ferrari will pay the seven-time world champion slightly less at £42.7m from next year.
But it appears Mercedes are prepared to offer a huge increase to the man who could replace him.
According to German outlet OE24, Mercedes are willing to pay Verstappen £128m per year including bonuses.
The report says it would make the 26-year-old the best-paid sportsperson in the world.
Verstappen's base salary in 2023 at Red Bull was said to be in the region of £35.7m, bringing in an extra £19.8m in bonuses.
But he is set for a huge increase if he does complete a move to Mercedes at the end of this year.
He would be in line to earn around three times as much as the driver he could replace.
Verstappen still has a contract at Red Bull until the end of 2028 but speculation over a departure has increased in recent months.
Red Bull's legendary designer Adrian Newey reportedly wants to leave the team and Verstappen could follow him out of the door.
Verstappen again sits top of the driver standings in 2024 after winning four of the first five races this season.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff recently flirted with the idea of signing the three-time world champion.
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Lewis Hamilton is set to join Ferrari and Max Verstappen could replace him at Mercedes
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Wolff said: "There's so many factors that play a role for a driver joining.
"Clearly, when you look at it from the most rational point of view, you can say: 'Well, that's the quickest car in the hands of the quickest driver'.
"But I don't think that this is the only reason you stay where you are.
"I think, let's say, for simple minds that might be the only reason why you stay in a car and that's it.
Max Verstappen is on course for a fourth successive World Championship
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"Maybe there is more depth to other people who consider other factors too and I think Max has depth.
"In that respect are we going to convince him? I don't think it's a matter of convincing.
"I think Max knows motor racing better than anyone and he will take decisions that he feels are good for him and I think a few factors play a role but he's the one that's going to trigger some more domino stones to fall afterwards.
"Everybody's waiting for what he's going to be doing. If I was Max, I would stay at Red Bull for 2025, but I'm not Max. It is the quickest car, but there are other factors."
