Spend a minute on a Formula One driver’s social media and the markers of success are everywhere — private jets, high-end car collections and off-season retreats far removed from the average reality.
The lifestyle is glamorous. The job, however, demands extraordinary skill. Only 22 drivers are good enough to line up on the grid this year – a rarity that makes their talent exceptionally valuable.
And they’re not just paid for the 24 race weekends they compete in. Modern F1 drivers are marketing machines – the public faces of billion-dollar teams and ambassadors for major global brands.
That commercial power is reflected in the contracts themselves. Lewis Hamilton’s blockbuster move to Ferrari last year wasn’t just a transfer, it was history-making, reportedly worth about USD$446 million (approximately AUD$630 million) over three years.
Max Verstappen isn’t far behind Hamilton when it comes to base salary, but performance incentives are where the reigning champion often moves ahead. Last season, bonuses reportedly added more than AUD$15 million to his earnings, pushing him to the top of the sport’s rich list, according to Forbes.
Further down the base salary rankings sits Australia’s Oscar Piastri, though his overall earnings tell a different story.
In 2025, he reportedly banked around AUD$38.9 million in bonuses and endorsements, placing him fourth on the Forbes list of the highest-paid drivers.
At the other end of the grid, the numbers shift but remain substantial by most standards. Veteran Valtteri Bottas is understood to be earning approximately AUD$4.25 million in base salary, while Nico Hülkenberg’s move to Audi comes with a reported base of around AUD$7 million. Hülkenberg’s contract, however, is also believed to include a performance clause worth roughly AUD$83,000 per point.
And the pay packet for an 18-year-old in their first year? Arvid Lindblad is reportedly earning about AUD$1.4 million dollars.
Here is a full list of 2026 reported base salaries, ranked — before bonuses and brand endorsements. Hover on or tap each column to reveal the amount.
Emma has been on our television screens for over a decade. Most of her time in the industry has been spent at racetracks reporting at major motorsport events in Australia - from TCR and Superbikes to Porsche Sprint Challenge and Supercars. Emma has also hosted various MotoGP and F1 events interviewing the likes of Daniel Ricciardo and Jack Miller. Having previously presented on an automotive show, she made her move to the Drive family in 2020. Fiercely proud of her Italian heritage, Emma is a coffee loving, stylish-black wearing resident of Melbourne.
