What is in an F1 contract? Dutch insider reveals all after Max Verstappen signs $500M deal

Max Verstappen, Laurent Mekies, Red Bull, 2026 — Photo: © Credit: Red Bull content pool

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What is in an F1 contract? Dutch insider reveals all after Max Verstappen signs $500M deal

Fascinating insight from the former F1 driver

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson F1 Editor

Motorsport journalist covering F1 since 2024

Saturday 29 August 2026 09:57

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After Max Verstappen signed that blockbuster new Red Bull deal last week, the ins and outs of contracts in the sport have been a big talking point. Now, former driver Robert Doornbos has offered a fascinating insight into what exactly goes into them.

Verstappen put pen to paper on a new deal that will see him remain a Red Bull driver through the 2030 season ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, with suggestions he could be earning as much as half a billion dollars per year, including bonuses.

Those sort of numbers make him the highest-paid driver in F1 - even more than Lewis Hamilton is reportedly earning at Ferrari.

But what exactly goes into a contract like Verstappen's?

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Let's start with the money. Reports recently emerged suggesting that Verstappen's salary stood at a whopping $107m per year, but now, speaking on The Pit Talk Podcast, Doornbos, who knows a thing or two about F1 contracts having been a test driver for years and raced at Red Bull and Minardi, offered deeper insight into the Dutch star's earnings.

"Half a billion dollar contract for four years," Doornbos said, referring to Verstappen's deal. "A little bit different than my contracts."

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The former Red Bull and Minardi driver continued: "That's including bonuses. But depending on if he becomes world champion, depending if there's more sponsors coming, for example, big deals like Heineken and if they extend, they will have to pay more.

"Max is up there; it's the elite of global entrepreneurship, and he will become the first Dutch sports billionaire. Unbelievable, and only 28 years of age."

Performance clauses

Another key component of an F1 deal is performance clauses, which allow either party to break early if certain standards are not being met. Verstappen's old Red Bull deal, for example, saw him available to join a new team over this year's summer break when he left the Hungarian Grand Prix outside of the top two in the drivers' standings.

So, does Verstappen's new deal have such clauses? Possibly. “They keep that very close to their chest, obviously, but Red Bull is known for performance clauses in relation to Max or any star driver, like Vettel as well,” Doornbos explained.

“Vettel started with it at Red Bull, basically saying, ’You know what, you have a performance clause on me if I don't deliver, if I'm not fit enough, let's reverse it.’"

Max Verstappen all smiles in Zandvoort after signing that blockbuster new deal / Credit: Imago

Doornbos continued, stating that he is 'sure' there must be performance clauses in Verstappen's new deal.

“Vettel started with that, and everybody thought that was quite smart to do because it sort of keeps the level playing field,” Doornbos added.

“I'm sure that Raymond [Vermuelen, Verstappen’s manager] did a great job by upping the salary. Red Bull wanted to make sure that there's not every year the same discussion, ‘Is Max leaving, is he staying?’, but I’m sure there must be some sort of performance clause in there.”

Teammate clauses

Moving away from Verstappen's deal and reflecting more generally on the sorts of things put into F1 contracts, Doornbos next mentioned teammate clauses.

"Beating your team-mate obviously is quite clearly stated in any contract," Doornbos explained.

"With me in particular it was that Helmut Marko said 'You have to stay within two-tenths of David [Coulthard]. That was a verbal thing, but then also written."

Confirming he had that in black and white in his Red Bull deal, Doornbos added: "Within two tenths, and then it's acceptable if you are in your first year with the big team with such a competitive teammate."

Financial penalties for crashes

Another area touched upon is whether or not F1 driver contracts force the stars to pay for damage that is sustained in a crash themselves. F1 cars cost a fortune, and in the cost-cap era, repairs can quickly add up, having a knock-on effect on how much a team can develop their car that year.

However, Doornbos says that isn't generally included, though did cite one famous time the drivers were made to pay.

“No, no,” he said on drivers paying for crashing their cars. “But they can just tear up your contract and send you home. You’re done.

“What I do like is that Niki Lauda introduced this in 2016, when Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg crashed into each other [in Barcelona]. Rule number one in any contract: don’t touch your teammate.”

“Niki and Toto made them pay for it themselves," he added, explaining that both cars suffered $450,000 worth of damage. "For them, €450,000 is basically nothing, but they still made them pay because it was such an embarrassing moment for the team.”

Doornbos finished: “In general, though, the drivers do have insurance and things like that. But crashing is an expensive habit.”

Robert Doornbos raced for Red Bull and Minardi in F1

Money for points

Doornbos finished on a funny note, opening up on one clause in his Minardi contract that meant if he scored any points, he would get money for it.

Famously, Kimi Raikkonen nearly busted Lotus when his contract included a € 50,000-per-point clause in 2012 and 2013. The Finn went on to score 390 points across the two seasons, amounting to a total of €19.5m. At one stage, Raikkonen even threatened to boycott races until he was paid, and he left the team at the end of that season.

“One funny thing was that when I signed my Minardi contract, there was a performance clause,” Doornbos said, reflecting on a similar clause he had.

“Points for money, right? So if you score points, you get more money. It was in the contract, it said $64,000 per point. So I said, ‘Well, that's amazing.’

“I said, ‘Paul [Stoddart, Minardi owner], let's make that two hundred thousand dollars per point’. He said, ‘You know what, you can write down $500,000 per point, you’re not gonna score any points.”

Doornbos, though, didn’t score any, adding: “I was happy just to make the finish.”

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Simmey Hannifin Donaldson - F1 Editor

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