F1 racing is one of the most glamorous and dangerous sports in the world - but with great risk comes great reward.
Top drivers can become fabulously wealthy, with multi-million pound contracts offered by the top car manufacturers to race - and ideally win - for their team.
And the sport has arguably never been as high profile, thanks to the hit Netflix documentary Formula 1: Drive to Survive which records the thrills and spills of each season - meaning more money is on the table than ever before.
The teams are notoriously secretive about money, but every year rumours circulate about the head-spinning contracts offered to the best of the best.
Of course these are only the baseline salaries, with millions more in bonuses offered to those who make the podium, win races, or triumph in the Drivers’ Championship.
Here are the 12 best paid F1 drivers in the world in 2025, according to the experts at racingnews365.
1. Max Verstappen - £50 million
As you might expect, thanks to his four consecutive Drivers' Championship titles between 2021 and 2024, Max Verstappen is the highest paid F1 driver, with a salary of around £50 million. The Red Bull driver has won 67 Grands Prix across 11 seasons. | Getty Images
2. Lewis Hamilton - £46.3 million
Sir Lewis Hamilton is second on the salary rich list, thanks to his joint-record seven Drivers' Championships. He holds many records in the sport including most wins (105), most pole positions (104), and most podium finishes (202). He takes home around £46.3 million before bonuses from Ferrari. | Getty Images
3. Charles Leclerc - £26.3m
Hamilton's Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc is reputed to be on around £26.3 million, completing the podium positions when it comes to F1 salaries. The Monte Carlo native was runner-up in the Drivers' Championship in 2022 and has won eight Grands Prix across eight seasons. | Getty Images
4. Fernando Alonso - £15.5 million
Fernando Alonso may be languishing in 11th postion in the Drivers' Championship at the moment but his two Drivers' Championship titles and 32 Grands Prix wins means he can still command a salary of £15.5 million from Aston Martin. | Getty Images