Formula 1 drivers spend their days in the hotseat of multi-million pound vehicles and racing around circuits at neck breaking speeds – so it’s no wonder that they are compensated handsomely for it.
The salaries of F1 drivers make them some of the world’s highest paid athletes as they risk their lives on the track, and that’s without including endorsements or sponsorships outwith the sport.
Here, we take a look at who are the richest F1 drivers currently on the grid.
As of 2021 Formula 1 teams must adhere to a cost cap which looks to create greater parity between powerhouse teams such as Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull compared to smaller teams such as Haas or Williams, but this doesn’t extend to driver salaries – for now.
Based on data from Forbes, which excludes any off-track compensation, here are the richest F1 drivers based on 2023 salaries.
9. Pierre Gasly – $8 million
Formerly racing for AlphaTauri, Gasly’s move to Alpine rewarded him with a base salary of $5 million with bonuses of $3 million bringing him in at joint ninth place of the richest F1 drivers. | AFP via Getty Images
10. Oscar Piastri – $8 million
Joining his McLaren teammate and ending our list of the richest F1 drivers, Oscar Piastri is the youngest driver to be included in at just 22 years old. He earns a base salary of $3 million, taking home bonuses of around $5 million. | Getty Images