Lewis Hamilton received the highest salary of all Formula 1 drivers in 2021, banking a cool $55-million with fellow veteran Fernando Alonso the next best-paid driver on last year’s grid and title rival Max Verstappen third.
Seven-time F1 World Champion, Hamilton was runner-up in last year’s championship for the past several years has been the highest earner in motorsport, and among the top ten of all athletes in all sports around the globe.
The 37-year-old Briton has a two-year deal with Mercedes that runs until the end of 2023, said to be worth a further $80-million, before incentive bonuses and personal endorsements kick in.
Alonso inked a lucrative deal for his comeback with Alpine, despite the two-year lay-off the French team dug deep to pay him $20.5-million for his return to lead the team in 2021 and beyond.
Reigning F1 World Champion Verstappen banked a basic salary of $19.1-million according to the Statista report, giving him third on the salary list.
However, it is estimated that the Dutchman’s 2021 earnings could be more than double his retainer when bonuses are factored in for his ten victories, in an epic season and of course his first F1 world title for Red Bull.
And, like title rival Hamilton, Verstappen’s personal endorsements are setting him on course to a huge paycheck when all is accounted for.
Daniel Ricciardo earned $17-million with McLaren, while teammate Lando Norris who beat the veteran Australian in the drivers’ standings last year is not in the top ten.
Aston Martin forked out $17-million for Sebastian Vettel’s services despite the German having no other options when Ferrari showed him the door. Team owner Lawrence Stroll is not paying his son Lance enough to make it into the top ten!
Sixth on the salary list was Valtteri Bottas whose $11-million was the last to be paid to him by Mercedes as he moves to Alfa Romeo, replacing retired Kimi Raikkonen who was paid $7.5-million for his services, putting The Iceman eighth on the list in his final season of F1.
At Ferrari, Charles Leclerc on $11-million earned substantially more than the $6.8-million that new teammate Carlos Sainz was paid. The Spaniard beat and mostly outshone the Monegasque in their first season together at Maranello.
2021 Formula 1 Driver Salaries by Statista:
