How much do F1 drivers make? Exploring the top Formula 1 motorists and their pay

It is no secret that F1 drivers live a far more lavish life than ordinary people. Since it is the pinnacle of motorsport, a handsome salary is given to all of the drivers on the grid.

The exact amount largely depends on the team and the driver. Nonetheless, even the minor teams pay a hefty amount to their drivers.

In the 2022 season, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was apparently the highest-paid driver, with Mercedes shelling out $40 million for him (as reported by RacingNews365.com). It does not come as a surprise, given the immense success the team has had over the years and how instrumental Hamilton has been in achieving that.

Many have suggested that drivers are paid too much, especially those who are relatively new to the sport.

Since casuals tend to think of F1 as driving a car around in circles, they think that a salary counted in millions of dollars is exorbitant.

However, it must be understood that in every race, there is a huge risk to the driver's life. Although F1 now has much higher safety standards, no driver is ever too safe.

Also, the fact that the sport is as physical as any other sport (due to the high G-forces a driver faces and other factors), the salary is usually justifiable.

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How much do 2022 F1 drivers earn?

Although it is not easy to find out the exact amount a driver is paid in a team, a report by Motorsporttickets.com did clarify that Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Fernando Alonso were the highest-paid drivers in the 2022 season.

Here is a list of all the drivers with their estimated salaries:

Driver	Team	Apparent Salary (USD)
Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	$40 million
Max Verstappen	Red Bull	$25 million
Fernando Alonso	Alpine	$20 million
Lando Norris	McLaren	$20 million
Sebastian Vettel	Aston Martin	$15 million
Daniel Ricciardo	McLaren	$15 million
Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	$12 million
Valtteri Bottas	Alfa Romeo	$10 million
Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	$10 million
Carlos Sainz Jr	Ferrari	$10 million
Sergio Perez	Red Bull	$8 million
Kevin Magnussen	Haas	$6 million
Pierre Gasly	AlphaTauri	$5 million
Esteban Ocon	Alpine	$5 million
George Russell	Mercedes	$5 million
Alexander Albon	Williams	$2 million
Mick Schumacher	Haas	$1 million
Zhou Guanyu	Alfa Romeo	$1 million
Nicholas Latifi	Williams	$1 million
Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri	$750,000

The salary that drivers are paid depends largely on the team they are in and how well they perform. It is apparent from Perez's teammate, Max Verstappen, is paid $25 million, while the Mexican is only paid $8 million.

Verstappen helped the team score world championships. Meanwhile, Perez acted as the second driver.

It should be noted that the figures mentioned here may not be entirely accurate. The actual salaries of all the drivers might differ, given this list was created at the start of the season.