Millions are pouring in… and there's no cap to stop them. In 2026, F1 driver salaries reach dizzying heights, in a system where everything seems controlled… except the essentials.
F1: an extraordinary elite… and beyond budget
While F1 imposes a strict budget cap on teams, the drivers operate in a different league. Their salaries are simply excluded from the cap, allowing top teams to acquire the best talent without any real limit.
Result: Max Verstappen still dominates the financial hierarchy with a base salary of approximately $70 million. Right behind, Lewis Hamilton earns 60 million for his first full season at Ferrari. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Dizzying differences
The 2026 F1 grid illustrates a striking gap between the stars and the rest of the field. Charles Leclerc et George Russell hover around 34 million, while Lando Norris reaches 30 million. But what about after that? The drop is brutal. Some rookies or backmarker drivers have to make do with barely a million, or even less. A reality that contrasts sharply with the headliners.
"In F1, everyone is clearly not in the same league.", a paddock observer whispers.
The great taboo: real income
Because these figures only tell part of the story. Performance bonuses, team bonuses, personal sponsorships… incomes skyrocket far beyond the stated salaries. A driver like Verstappen ou Hamilton can thus generate tens of millions more outside of contracts, through partnerships or its own activities.
"The basic salary is just a starting point.""That sums it up," an internal source said.
A system that is accepted… but contested
Officially, the F1 This model is accepted. Both driver and executive salaries are excluded from the budget cap to preserve contractual freedom. But behind the scenes, the issue is unsettling. How can a sport that imposes drastic limits on teams be justified... while allowing salaries to soar to stratospheric levels?
One thing is certain: as long as the drivers remain the absolute stars of the show, their salaries will continue to skyrocket, even if it further exacerbates the inequalities on the grid.
| Pile | Team | Base salary |
| Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 70 $ millions |
| Lewis Hamilton | Classic Ferrari for sale | 60 $ millions |
| Charles Leclerc | Classic Ferrari for sale | 34 $ millions |
| Lando Norris | McLaren | 25 $ millions |
| Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 20 $ millions |
| George Russell | Mercedes Benz | 18 $ millions |
| Sergio Pérez | Cadillac | 8 $ millions |
| Oscar piastri | McLaren | 12 $ millions |
| Carlos Sainz | Audi | 10 $ millions |
| Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 10 $ millions |
| Alex Albon | Williams | 12 $ millions |
| Lance stroll | Aston Martin | 12 $ millions |
| Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | 7 $ millions |
| Esteban Ocon | Haas | 7 $ millions |
| Isaac Hadjar | Red Bull | 5 $ millions |
| Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 5 $ millions |
| Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes Benz | 2 $ millions |
| Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 2 $ millions |
| Ollie Bearman | Haas | 1 million $ |
| Liam Lawson. | Racing Bulls | 1 million $ |
| Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | < $1 million |
| Franco Colapinto | Alpine | < $1 million |
