The salaries of F1 drivers for 2025 have been made public for one of the most changed grids in recent years. Max Verstappen is the king again, with around $65 million, five above the $60 million of Lewis Hamilton. The Briton is up 10 compared to Mercedes, but does not reach the champion of the last four World Championships, according to the estimate of the publication ‘RCN365’.
Charles Leclerc is no longer the highest-paid driver at Ferrari and would be, with 34 million a year, behind Hamilton, in what is a change of status. The seven World Championships and the impact on attention and marketing for the Scuderia seem to be worth that difference to its managers
In fourth place, as one of the most highly regarded for his career, experience and because the camera follows him in every race, is Fernando Alonso, with $20 million, who is hoping for a season more like 2023, with regular visits to the podium and the option to fight in some Grand Prix for the long-awaited ’33’, which he came close to in Monaco, Canada and the Netherlands two years ago. In the case of the Spaniard, he is worth every dollar he earns.
Sainz and his salary at Williams
One of the curiosities was to know if Carlos Sainz was going to vary much with the change from Ferrari to Williams and the truth is that he comes out well. The Spaniard will earn around $10 million, which is only two less, despite being in a team with much less financial possibilities. Carlos is also ahead of Alex Albon’s $8 million, something that from the beginning also delimits the hierarchy in the Grove team.
The highest paid rookies
Among the newcomers, the so-called ‘rookies’, there are also levels. In the first tier is Fernando Alonso’s protege, Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto, who will earn two million as his first salary at Sauber. He will be on the same level as Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes, which is surprising
The almost debutants, Olli Bearman, Liam Lawson, and Jack Doohan will be on the base salary of between 500,000 and one million a year, as will Isaak Hadjar, the Frenchman of Algerian origin who is making his F1 debut with RB Visa and about whom there is great expectation in the Maghreb and Arab countries in general.
Driver, team, salary in millions $, End of contract
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, $65 million, 2028
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, 60 million, 2026*
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, $34m, 2028
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin, 20 million euros, 2026*
Lando Norris, McLaren, $20m, 2026*
George Russell, Mercedes, $15 million, 2025
Carlos Sainz, Williams, $10 million, 2027
Pierre Gasly, Alpine, $10 million, 2026
Alexander Albon, Williams, $8m, 2027
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas/Audi, $7 million, 2027
Esteban Ocon, Haas F1, $7 million, 2027
Oscar Piastri, McLaren, $6 million, 2026
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin, $3 million, No date
Gabriel Bortoleto, Stake F1/Audi, 2 million, 2027
Yuki Tsunoda, Racing Bulls, $2 million, 2025
Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, $2m, 2025*
Oliver Bearman, Haas, 1 million, 2027
Liam Lawson, Red Bull Racing, 1 million, 2026
Jack Doohan, Alpine, $0.5-1 million, 2026
Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, $0.5-1 million, 2026
* (open contracts to follow later)