F1 Driver Salaries: How much do the stars of the sport make in 2025?

Being an F1 driver is undoubtedly one of the most glamorous jobs on the planet - but just how much do the sport's biggest names make in 2025?

The contracts and salaries that teams offer their drivers are exempt from the budget cap, meaning those at the front of the grid remain some of the highest-paid sports stars around.

Lewis Hamilton made a stunning move to Ferrari for 2025, providing another massive deal to shake up the list of current driver salaries.

F1 2025 driver salaries

Salaries for F1 drivers are notoriously difficult to pin down; there can be a range of external elements such as contract upgrades, bonuses, and sponsorships, which makes it hard to identify just how much each driver earns.

In 2022, Max Verstappen penned one of the most lucrative deals for a driver in F1 history and was financially rubbing shoulders with great rival Lewis Hamilton. In 2023 and 2024, Verstappen earned even more than Hamilton due to performance-based bonuses, but the two biggest stars still remained the sport's highest earners.

Hamilton's latest Ferrari contract will bring him closer to his arch rival, and you'd imagine that if he manages to claim an unprecedented eighth world title with the team (it won't be in 2025 obviously...), then his bonuses will be through the roof.

2025 title challenger Lando Norris is on a lucrative deal with McLaren, although his age and lack of proven world title pedigree means he is a way behind Verstappen and Hamilton.

Norris' team-mate and current championship leader Oscar Piastri signed a new contract with McLaren ahead of the 2025 season, and reportedly got a mammoth pay rise. Money well spent it appears by the team in papaya.

Here are the base salaries of F1 drivers, as reported by multiple credible sources, excluding any performance-based bonuses.

Does the F1 budget cap affect driver salaries?

Quite simply, it doesn't.

As mentioned, driver salaries are kept separate from the budget cap. Indeed the salaries of the three highest-paid employees are exempt, which in virtually all cases will include the team principals as well.

Other items which are kept exempt include marketing costs and utility bills incurred by the teams.

Related

Formula 1

F1 champion Fernando Alonso reveals 'important' factor as star quizzed on retirement

• June 7, 2025 19:00

Formula 1

Italian media warns Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari need 'couples therapy'

• May 10, 2025 03:00