Max Verstappen (above) was not as dominant in 2024 as he has been— a testament to the rising competitiveness at the top of the table— but he still took home his fourth consecutive World Championship title.
The 27-year-old tops the list of the highest-paid drivers in F1, taking in a salary of $65 million in 2025.
Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari is second, earning $60 million. After his shocking move from Mercedes last year, he saw his salary bumped up by $15 million.
His teammate at Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, comes in third at $34 million. Leclerc has been with the supercar maker since 2019 and signed a five-year extension with them last January.
Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso tie for the fourth spot at $20 million. Norris, who’s driven for McLaren since he was 19 years old, signed an extension last year that includes a 2027 option.
Alsonso has driven for three teams in his 20-year career and signed a two-year extension with Aston Martin last April worth $40 million.
A new era for F1
McLaren simultaneously ended their Constructors’ Championship drought and Red Bull’s dominance in that arena with their title last season. They hadn’t won since 1998 and Red Bull had won the last two in a row.
The increased competition could help boost F1’s ratings even further after a 14% increase in revenue last year. F1 will be searching for a new home in 2026 and beyond after its longtime host, ESPN, dropped out of the running to renew its media rights deal.
Highest-Paid Drivers for 2025
Here is the list of top-10 drivers in F1 for 2025, according to Spotrac, based on annual salary.
- Updated: March 18th, 2025
- Will be updated again: July 2025
| Rank | Driver | Team | Compensation |
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | $65 million |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | $60 million |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | $34 million |
| T-4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | $20 million |
| T-4 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | $20 million |
| 6 | George Russell | Mercedes | $15 million |
| T-7 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Williams | $10 million |
| T-7 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | $10 million |
| 9 | Alexander Albon | Williams | $8 million |
| T-10 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | $7 million |
| T-10 | Nico Hülkenberg | Kick Sauber | $7 million |
