Formula 1: Who Are the Top 5 Highest Paid F1 Drivers in 2023

• Formula 1 drivers often demand high wages from their teams
• The chances of winning are more correlated with how well the driver is paid
• More money often means the expectations are higher from all involved including fans

Formula 1 remains one of the most expensive sports anyone could venture into. The cars and equipment used to efficiently carry out a race always run into millions of dollars.

With being a Formula 1 driver, comes great responsibility, expectations, and danger. The drivers drive at a high speed competing against each other to win the race.

Little wonder the drivers are heavily paid to race for their respective teams.

Sports Brief takes a look at the list of highest-earning drivers on the current Formula 1 grid.

Max Verstappen ($55 Million)

Presently, the driver with the highest pay in Formula 1 is Max Verstappen, the Dutch racer for Red Bull. Racingnews365 reports Verstappen pockets a whopping $55 Million after he claimed his second World Champion title.

Fascinating facts about the best offensive midfielders in the world right now

Football

Since his maiden victory in 2021, Verstappen has led the championship in style, setting a record for most races won in a Formula 1 season at 16. The 2023 season is no different as he has won eight of the opening 10 races so far.

Verstappen started his career at the age of 17 with the Toro Rosso car and then moved to Red Bull. He has been making his mark in the races since then. He is a two-time World Champion with 2022 being a landslide victory.

Lewis Hamilton ($34 Million)

According to reports per Diario AS, the seven-time world champions contract is currently worth $35 million with Mercedes.

Hamilton who is competing for his 8th title is said to be demanding more than the latter for his latest contract extension.

Even though his salary is still in negotiations, he remains one of the highest-paid drivers. Since making the switch from McLaren to Mercedes and achieving the feat of being the 7-time World Champion, Hamilton has been considered one of the greatest drivers on the grid.

The biggest World Cup snubs: A list of footballers left out of their countries’ World Cup squad

Football

Charles Leclerc ($24 Million)

Following them is the Monegasque Ferrari driver who received a paycheck of $24 million in 2023. Charles Leclerc started his career in 2018 with Sauber and then moved to Ferrari the following season. With Ferrari, he became the second youngest driver to finish on pole position in 2019

Charles Leclerc has achieved 5 races and finished in pole 19 times so far.

Leclerc has proven his skills as a driver in the 2022 season. He finished P4 after starting from 7th after qualifying. Though he could not win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after having a great start to the race, he was in pole position and on the podium in that race.

Lando Norris ($20 Million)

Lando Norris, the Belgian-British driver has a $20 million contract with McLaren. Since his debut in Formula 1, he has been signed by McLaren to date. One of his best finishes was his second-place finish at the British GP. Though Norris is yet to secure a race win in Formula 1, it is hoped with a little better upgrade to his McLaren, the Brit would secure a win.

Finally! A list of the best female race car drivers of all time

MotoGP

Carlos Sainz ($12 Million)

Unlike Charles Leclerc, his teammate Carlos Sainz earns $12 million per year. He started his Formula 1 career with Toro Rosso alongside Max Verstappen in 2015. After two seasons with the Red Bull B team, Sianz moved to Renault. His best finish in a race at Renault remains a fourth-place finish.

In 2019 Sainz moved to McLaren and was there for two seasons before making the switch to Ferrari where he won his first-ever race at Silverstone in 2022

F1 to change grid walk

Sports Brief earlier reported the FIA are considering placing restrictions on grid access after an incident at the Spanish Grand Prix where Neymar and several other guests were still on the edge of the main straight when the formation lap got underway.

Celebrities and other invited guests are granted access to the grid at the start of races on Sunday, with reporters often grabbing a quick word with some of them.