Formula One finances: the salaries of the leading drivers

Pérez was part of the Ferrari Driver Academy until 2012, when he had his F1 debut for Sauber. He then joined McLaren in 2013, but the season was disappointing and he was replaced by Kevin Magnussen. His contract with Force India (now Racing Point) was announced in December 2013, and he finished 10th in his first race, the 2014 Australian Grand Prix.

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Carlos Sainz (McLaren) -

McLaren will be paying the Spanish driver €3.5 million to race for them in 2020. The 2020 season will be Sainz’s second season with the team after he joined them for the 2019 season, replacing Fernando Alonso.

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Carlos Sainz (McLaren) -

Sainz is the son of double World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz, and has been an F1 driver since 2015. Before joining McLaren, Sainz was with Toro Rosso (2015-2017) and then Renault (2017-2018.)

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Kimi Räikkönen (Alfa Romeo) -

2020 is the second year of Kimi Räikkönen's €4 million contract with Alfa Romeo. He was signed on a two-year contract with the team after he left Ferrari in 2018.

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Kimi Räikkönen (Alfa Romeo) -

The Finnish driver had his F1 debut for Sauber in 2001, and then raced for nine seasons before leaving the sport to compete in the World Rally Championship in 2011 and 2012. After returning to F1, he drove for both Lotus and Ferrari before joining Alfa Romeo for the 2019 season.

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Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) -

The Finnish driver will take home €7.5 million for his fourth season at Mercedes. This amount is considerably less than what his racing partner, Lewis Hamilton, will be earning, but is more than what the majority of F1 drivers earn.

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Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) -

Bottas has been at Mercedes since 2017, and prior to that he was racing for Williams (2013-2016). 2019 was his strongest season so far—he finished second behind Lewis Hamilton and recorded four wins, 15 podium finishes, five pole positions, and three fastest laps.

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Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) -

The Monégasque driver will be earning €9 million in 2020 as he drives for Ferrari alongside Sebastian Vettel. 2020 will be Leclerc’s second season with the team, and it shows promise after he had his first career win with them in Belgium in 2019.

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Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) -

Charles Leclerc made his F1 debut for Sauber in 2018 before he moved over to Ferrari for the 2019 season. Prior to that, he won the GP3 Series championship in 2016 and the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2017.

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Daniel Ricciardo (Renault) -

The Australian driver will be earning €18 million during his second season at Renault. In 2018, he signed a two-year contract with the team, much to the consternation of fans who didn’t realize this move would give him a salary a lot higher than what he was earning at Red Bull.

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Daniel Ricciardo (Renault) -

Ricciardo made his F1 debut with the HRT team at the British Grand Prix. He then raced for Toro Rosso in 2012 and 2013 before moving over to Red Bull for the 2014 season.

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Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) -

The German driver will be taking home €40 million in 2020. Widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time, Vettel has been with Ferrari since 2015 and is contracted to stay until the end of 2020.

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Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) -

Vettel had his F1 start as a test driver for BMW Sauber in 2006, making his debut for them in 2007. He then drove for Toro Rosso in 2007-2008 before joining Red Bull, where he won consecutive titles through 2010-2013, making him a four-time Formula One World Champion.

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Max Verstappen (Red Bull) -

It was announced in January 2020 that the Belgian-Dutch driver extended his contract with Red Bull until the end of 2023. This will push his salary up to a whopping €40 million.

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Max Verstappen (Red Bull) -

Verstappen made his F1 debut at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, where he became the youngest driver ever to compete in F1. He then raced for Toro Rosso until the middle of the 2016 season, when he was promoted to Red Bull as a replacement for Daniil Kvyat.

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Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) -

With the British driver’s legendary status, it is hardly surprising that his salary ranks highest on this list, standing at a huge €50 million. He has been with Mercedes since 2013, and his current contract is set to expire at the end of 2020.

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Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) -

With six Formula One World Champion titles, Lewis Hamilton is thought of as one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport. Before signing with Mercedes in 2013, he was with McLaren from 2007 to 2012.

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Formula One finances: the salaries of the leading drivers

The latest F1 season starts March 15

11/03/20 | StarsInsider

CELEBRITY F1

It's no secret that racing pays—in 2019, F1 star Lewis Hamilton came in at # 13 on the list of highest-paid athletes in the world. But there is much variation in the salaries earned, even by the top drivers, and events of 2019 mean that the salary ranking will look a little different in 2020.

Check out this gallery to discover how much the 15 best-paid Formula One drivers will earn in 2020. Some salaries are estimates, and may not include finishing bonuses.