Verstappen Tops F1 Earnings List as Piastri Makes Major Leap

Max Verstappen remains Formula 1's highest-paid driver for 2025, earning an estimated $114 million AUD, while newly crowned champion Lando Norris and a surging Oscar Piastri have made significant financial gains. The list reflects the sport's booming economics, with Lewis Hamilton securing a record salary at Ferrari and rookie Kimi Antonelli entering the top ten.

Why it matters:

Driver salaries are a direct barometer of a team's financial commitment and a driver's market value. The dramatic rises for Norris and Piastri, alongside Hamilton's historic contract, underscore the intense competition for top talent and the financial rewards of on-track success in the modern F1 era, fueled by soaring team revenues and valuations.

The details:

• Verstappen's Dominance: The Red Bull driver's estimated $114 million AUD income consists of a $97 million AUD base salary and $16 million AUD in bonuses, maintaining his top spot despite narrowly missing the 2025 drivers' title.
• Hamilton's Record Deal: In his first year with Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton earned an estimated $105 million AUD in salary alone, the highest guaranteed pay in F1 history, marking a major jump from his 2024 earnings.
• Champion's Payday: Lando Norris's world championship translated to an estimated $86.4 million AUD, boosted by a reported $15 million AUD title bonus, a massive increase from his 2024 total as he ended McLaren's long title drought.
• Piastri's Ascent: Oscar Piastri made one of the biggest leaps, climbing from seventh to fourth with an estimated $56.3 million AUD. This $23.3 million AUD increase was largely driven by performance bonuses linked to his consistent podium finishes and title challenge.
• New Faces in Top 10: Lance Stroll entered at eighth ($20.3 million AUD), with compensation partly revealed in Aston Martin's public filings. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli debuted at tenth with $18.8 million AUD, displacing Sergio Perez and Pierre Gasly from the 2024 top ten.

The big picture:

The financial landscape is being reshaped by F1's commercial boom. Forbes notes average team revenues have surged to $646 million AUD, with team valuations reaching up to $5.4 billion AUD. The cost cap, which excludes driver salaries, continues to allow teams to spend aggressively on star drivers. While not included in these figures, Lewis Hamilton remains the sport's leading commercial force off-track, with an estimated $30 million AUD in endorsement income over the past year, compared to Verstappen's $9 million AUD.

What's next:

The salary rankings will face another shake-up in 2026 with the new regulations. Teams' financial commitments to their lead drivers will be a key indicator of their confidence and ambition for the next era. Piastri's new contract, once finalized, is expected to solidify his position among the sport's top earners following his breakout 2025 season.