F1 driver salaries 2026
Formula 1 teams do not publish contracts, so every figure here is an estimate of base salary compiled by RacingNews365 for the 2026 season, excluding bonuses and personal sponsors. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton sit far ahead of the rest of the grid; rookies earn under a million.
Grid payroll
US$ 349 M
22 drivers
Average salary
US$ 15.9 M
2026
| # | Driver | Team | Salary (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Max Verstappen | Red Bull | US$ 70 M |
| 2 |  Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | US$ 60 M |
| 3 |  Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | US$ 34 M |
| 4 |  George Russell | Mercedes | US$ 34 M |
| 5 |  Lando Norris | McLaren | US$ 30 M |
| 6 |  Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | US$ 20 M |
| 7 |  Carlos Sainz | Williams | US$ 13 M |
| 8 |  Oscar Piastri | McLaren | US$ 13 M |
| 9 |  Pierre Gasly | Alpine | US$ 12 M |
| 10 |  Alex Albon | Williams | US$ 12 M |
| 11 |  Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | US$ 12 M |
| 12 |  Sergio Pérez | Cadillac | US$ 8 M |
| 13 |  Nico Hülkenberg | Audi | US$ 7 M |
| 14 |  Esteban Ocon | Haas | US$ 7 M |
| 15 |  Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | US$ 5 M |
| 16 |  Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | US$ 5 M |
| 17 |  Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | US$ 2 M |
| 18 |  Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | US$ 2 M |
| 19 |  Oliver Bearman | Haas | US$ 1 M |
| 20 |  Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | US$ 1 M |
| 21 |  Franco Colapinto | Alpine | US$ 0.5 – 1 M |
| 22 |  Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | US$ 0.5 – 1 M |
Teams do not publish contracts. Figures are the source’s estimates of base salary, excluding bonuses and personal sponsors.
Good to know
- Base salary only: performance bonuses and personal endorsements can double a top driver’s income.
- Figures are in US dollars per season and are rounded by the source.
- Salaries fall under a separate cap discussion: the cost cap does not include driver pay.
Source: RacingNews365 — F1 driver salaries 2026 (4 Feb 2026) · Updated: 2026-09-04
