With his pop star girlfriend it is obvious that comparisons will be made between World Champion Lewis Hamilton and Posh and Becks, the superstar (?) couple who have dominated the headlines for as long as we can remember.

However, with David Beckham nearing the end of his football career (again?) and wife Victoria having given up on pop and moved into the fashion and beauty business, it appears that Hamilton is the brand that everyone wants to be part of.

A survey undertaken by UTalkMarketing reveals that Lewis is the celebrity personality most likely to make those questioned buy a product. The 2008 World Champion, who recently received an MBE from The Queen, received 15 percent of the vote, more than double the score he received last year.

On the other hand, just 2 percent of those asked voted David Beckham as the celebrity most likely to make them buy a product, while Victoria Beckham (aka Posh Spice) was voted the celebrity least likely to make people part with their cash, recording 33 percent of the vote, along with (groan) former Atomic Kitten singer Kerry Katona.

Hamilton, who was ranked fifth in both the 'Top 10 celebrities most likely to persuade consumers to buy a product' and 'Top 10 most trustworthy celebrities' in 2008 is now the leader in the first, ahead of Jamie Oliver and fourth in the other, behind Oliver, Gary Linneker and that horrendous woman who appears to be everywhere all the time, Myleene Klas.

Niall McKinney, CEO of Utalkmarketing, said: "Lewis Hamilton has established himself as the UK's premier sporting brand ambassador. Being leader of the celebrity pack will earn him tens of millions in endorsements and advertising over his career, if he can hold on to it. The downturn is unlikely to be affecting him for some time!"

Just wait until he starts doing the L'Orealle ads or follows Jenson Button's example and records some of those dodgy ringtones.