In a latest update, Forbes has just unveiled the most highly paid drivers from the world’s famous racing sport, ‘Formula 1,’ or F1.
The checklist of the wealthiest drivers unveiled that Max Verstappen has topped the charts and emerged as the highest-paid driver despite being missing out on a fifth successive world championship.
As reported, the Dutchman ended the year just two points shy of beating Lando Norris to the top of the standings following a tense end to a dramatic season.
While Verstappen is the highest earner on the grid, his base salary does not surpass that of Lewis Hamilton, who endured a challenging maiden F1 campaign with Ferrari.
As Hamilton bagged $70 million in salary, which is higher than Verstappen’s, but due to bonuses earned by the Red Bull driver, it places him atop the list, reports Forbes.
In addition to that, F1 racer Norris places third on the list despite ending the season with the world championship in hand.
Moreover, Briton leads McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, while Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari car rounded out the top five.
Furthermore, the other highest paid drivers in sequence includes Fernando Alonso, George Russell, Lance Stroll, Carlos Sainz and Kimi Antonelli.
Apart from potential disclosures in a financial filing or legal proceedings, as in the Stroll case, Formula 1 driver compensation figures are rarely made public. However, it is understood that contracts typically link payment directly to on-track performance.
A veteran driver from a top team usually receives a large guaranteed salary, plus bonuses for race wins or a championship. While less experienced drivers or those from smaller teams tend to have lower salaries but may receive significant bonuses for winning races or scoring championship points.
In practice, F1 drivers often have little room to pursue personal partnerships due to obligations to their teams and sponsors, which may require appearances and prohibit conflicting agreements within the same brand category.
As reported by Forbes, Hamilton is by far the most marketable driver on the grid currently, with estimated earnings of $20 million off the track in the 12 months ending in May, which helped him rank 22nd on Forbes' 2025 list of the world's highest-paid athletes.
Meanwhile, Verstappen earned around $6 million in the same period.
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