Formula One racing has been hitting significant milestones in recent years. Each team is worth over $1 billion, and the sport has generated over $550 million in revenue just in the first quarter of the year.
The drivers earn the most money and attention, but the team principals manage a lot of critical moving parts. The top F1 team principals earn great salaries while navigating the pressure of ensuring every team member performs well on race day.
Christian Horner is the highest-paid Formula One team principal, earning $9.97 million annually. He’s been at the head of Red Bull Racing since 2005.
Horner has helped lead Red Bull to thirteen world titles since becoming team principal.
Toto Wolff earns $7.5 million, with Mercedes coming in second. From 2013 to 2020, he led Mercedes to seven consecutive double championships.
Wolff owns 30% of the team and is estimated to have the highest net worth of the other team principals, at $1.3 billion.
Third is Andrea Stella, making $5.5 million per year.
The McLaren team principal was promoted to the position in 2022. Stella worked with the dominant Michael Schumacher for four years and joined McLaren in 2015.
Fourth on the list is Ferrari’s Frederic Vasseur. He earns $5.3 million as the team principal of the winningest F1 team of all time. Vasseur took over for Mattia Binotto in 2023, and Ferrari recorded its first win under his leadership at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Tied for fifth are Laurent Mekies and Alessandro Alunni Bravi, earning $1.1 million each.
Mekies has run the Visa Cash App RB team since the beginning of 2024. They collected 46 points last season, good for eighth in the team standings.
Alunni Bravi was named to his role with Stake (Sauber) in 2023. He joined the team initially in 2017, working as a Board Member and General Counsel.
Ranking The Highest-Paid F1 Team Principals
Here is the entire list of the highest-paid Formula 1 team principals. The list was compiled with data from The Express and Crash.net.
- Updated: March 25, 2025
| Rank | Team Principal | Team | Total Compensation | Net Worth |
| 1 | Christian Horner | Red Bull Racing | $9.97 million | $51.8 million |
| 2 | Toto Wolff | Mercedes | $7.5 million | $1.6 billion |
| 3 | Andrea Stella | McLaren | $5.5 million | $1.6 million |
| 4 | Frederic Vasseur | Ferrari | $5 million | $3.7 million |
| T-5 | Laurent Mekies | Visa Cash App RB | $1.1 million | $1.1 million |
| T-5 | Alessandro Alunni Bravi | Stake (Sauber) | $1.1 million | $4.2 million |
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