PADDOCK’S PROFITS: The Salaries of the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers
It’s a well-known fact that Formula 1 is a game of speed and precision, but equally as well known that it is a game of money with sponsors and salaries galore. Currently, Formula 1 has some of the highest-paid athletes not just in motorsport, but in the world.
With the new season introducing six new full-time drivers on the grid, it’s time to see how the pinnacle 20 stack up in terms of the green bills. Note that the following salaries given are the projected salaries of the 20 drivers with numbers expected to fluctuate as the season progresses.
20, 19, 18: Oliver Bearman, Gabriel Bortoleto, Isack Hadjar - $2 million
It comes as no surprise that the three making the least are rookies (although Bearman has former F1 driving experience). With Bearman in Haas, Bortoleto in Sauber, and Hadjar in Racing Bulls, all three are yet to drive a full F1 season with both Hadjar and Bortoleto having yet to make their official debut and Bearman having driven in just two full races. Following all bonuses, the total salary of each driver comes out of $2 million, still a surprising figure as most rookies saw themselves being paid around $500K-$1 million in the past seasons.
17, 16, 15: Jack Doohan, Alex Albon, Lance Stroll - $3 million
This ranking is slightly more surprising as a driver with merit and experience such as Albon would be expected to be higher on the list. However, it seems that with Williams running low on money and having to spend an excess amount on the incoming Carlos Sainz, there wasn’t enough cash to go around. With Doohan, the salary seems surprisingly high for a rookie (one race experience) and it looks like the French team are spending quite a lot hoping to see some promising results from the young Australian. And finally, Stroll. There isn’t much to say with him as his 2024 performances have been sub-par at best, but another season with the team owned by his father will see him making a fairly substantial amount.
14, 13, 12, 11, 10: Liam Lawson, Kimi Antonelli, Nico Hulkenberg, Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon - $5 million
With five of the 20 drivers being paid $5 million, this list sees one lucky rookie walk away with the highest salary out of the six on the 2025 grid. It seems like the benefits of being signed straight to a main works team are showing already, even before the season starts. Besides the 18-year-old Antonelli, the list also features Red Bull’s Liam Lawson, the driver replacing Sergio Perez alongside Max Verstappen for the 2025 season. His former teammate and running mate for the senior seat at Red Bull Yuki Tsunoda will be earning the same amount, just in the junior team Racing Bulls. The list closes off with two veteran drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon, both of whom have switched teams for the upcoming season driving for Sauber and Haas respectively. While Hulkenberg sees a fairly substantial jump from his previous $2 million salary in 2024 at Haas, Ocon’s earnings have actually decreased from his $6 million at his 2024 season with Alpine.
9: Pierre Gasly - $12 million
Making a big $7 million jump from the previous rank, Gasly sees himself as the first driver on this list to enter into the 8-figures. Having extended his contract with Alpine, it seems that unlike his former teammate, Gasly has seen the largest increase percentage-wise from his $6 million 2024 salary with the figure being doubled for the upcoming season. It looks like Alpine have had some spare cash on hand after signing the rookie Jack Doohan.
8: Carlos Sainz - $15 million
Having been squeezed out of Scuderia Ferrari by the incoming Lewis Hamilton, Sainz is one of many drivers that have changed teams for the 2025 season, now having signed with Williams. While the car performance will certainly be dropping from the Ferrari he was driving the previous season, his salary won’t be. With an increase of $3 million from his $12 million 2024 salary with Ferrari, the bonus figures seem to be one benefit from the rather unfortunate team change.
7: Oscar Piastri - $22 million
The driver who avoided a crisis by signing with McLaren instead of Alpine sees himself just above the median line on the list, being the first on it to break the $20 million barrier. Although his current projected earnings for the upcoming season are a drastic decrease from the $35 million he earned in the previous season, it should be noted that his base pay for the 2024 season was just $7.8 million with the rest coming through from sponsors and bonuses, indicating that the figure for this year will also most likely see a sharp increase.
6: George Russell - $23 million
Although he racked in an extra $14 million from the change of 2023 to 2024, it looks like he won’t be seeing such a change—or one at all—for the upcoming season. Still earning an impressive $23 million, Russell starts his first season as the clear and evident number one driver for Mercedes, now taking a “mentorship” for an incoming Kimi Antonelli as Hamilton did for him in 2022.
5: Fernando Alonso - $27.5 million
Being the lead driver and having to carry Aston Martin on his back as a result of Stroll’s poor performances on several difference occasions, it is deserving of the two-time world champion to have such a high salary. Contracted until 2026 and now with Adrian Newey in the team, Alonso could see himself on the podium and fighting for the lead once more for the next two seasons in what which he expects to be the final stint of his career.
4: Lando Norris - $35 million
McLaren’s golden boy and the newest title contender, Lando Norris sees himself entering the $30 millions on the salary board. Despite his performance last year in getting the P2 in the Drivers’ standings and being a huge part in helping McLaren score their first Constructors’ championship since 1998, Norris sees an unchanged salary from 2024 as of right now. Once again, however, this is expected to change as sponsors and bonuses come into play throughout the season.
3: Charles Leclerc - $36 million
The driver with the longest contract in the history of Scuderia Ferrari, Charles Leclerc sees a $2 million increase from his 2024 salary. With HP being the brand-new primary sponsor for the Scuderia, it seems like they still have money to spare even after bringing in Lewis Hamilton for the upcoming season. Being one of the favorites to win the championship next season, Leclerc makes the podium on the driver salary list.
2: Max Verstappen - $75 million
Red Bull’s golden boy and quickly putting his name up on the Formula 1 Hall of Fame, the reigning world champion is looking at a projected salary of an incredible $75 million for the upcoming season. Despite it being such a massive number, there is nothing unusual or out-of-place about it—his performances keep the money where his mouth is. Looking to defend his title in the upcoming season, the Flying Dutchman will certainly be a force to be reckoned with; his salary being a note to what it takes to keep such a talent in the team.
1: Lewis Hamilton - $100 million
Coming at the top of the list is the Billion Dollar Man himself, Sir Lewis Hamilton. With his move to Ferrari, the seven-time world champion sees himself retake the position at the top of the salary table, having lost it for a few years to Verstappen. Having been through a rough patch of a close championship loss followed by a grueling three years with a Mercedes that lacked the pace to fight at the top consistently, the Britain will be looking for a chance to rebound and finally break the historical joint-record for the most championships in Formula 1 history with an eighth world title. Being the only man of 20 to have an eye-watering nine-figure salary, there are high hopes from not only the millions of fans but the Scuderia themselves for their incredible investment to pay off.