It is no secret that F1 drivers live a far more lavish life than ordinary people. Since it is the pinnacle of motorsport, a handsome salary is given to all of the drivers on the grid.
The exact amount largely depends on the team and the driver. Nonetheless, even the minor teams pay a hefty amount to their drivers.
In the 2022 season, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was apparently the highest-paid driver, with Mercedes shelling out $40 million for him (as reported by RacingNews365.com). It does not come as a surprise, given the immense success the team has had over the years and how instrumental Hamilton has been in achieving that.
I hear a lot of people complaining about F1 drivers salary, well let’s understand that it’s a very risky job too.
At times it’s a life and death situation. twitter.com/F1/status/1574…From driver to firefighter!
Heikki Kovalainen came to the rescue after an engine fire ended his race back in 2010
#SingaporeGP #F1
From driver to firefighter! 
Heikki Kovalainen came to the rescue after an engine fire ended his race back in 2010#SingaporeGP #F1 https://t.co/T3FIshTfTgI hear a lot of people complaining about F1 drivers salary, well let’s understand that it’s a very risky job too.At times it’s a life and death situation.twitter.com/F1/status/1574…
Many have suggested that drivers are paid too much, especially those who are relatively new to the sport.
Since casuals tend to think of F1 as driving a car around in circles, they think that a salary counted in millions of dollars is exorbitant.
However, it must be understood that in every race, there is a huge risk to the driver’s life. Although F1 now has much higher safety standards, no driver is ever too safe.
Also, the fact that the sport is as physical as any other sport (due to the high G-forces a driver faces and other factors), the salary is usually justifiable.
How much do 2022 F1 drivers earn?
Although it is not easy to find out the exact amount a driver is paid in a team, a report by Motorsporttickets.com did clarify that Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Fernando Alonso were the highest-paid drivers in the 2022 season.
Here is a list of all the drivers with their estimated salaries:
| drivers | team | Apprentice Salary (USD) |
| Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | $40 million |
| Max Verstappen | red bull | $25 million |
| Fernando Alonso | Alpine | $20 million |
| Lando Norris | McLaren | $20 million |
| Sebastian Vettel | Aston-Martin | $15 million |
| Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren | $15 million |
| Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | $12 million |
| Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo | $10 million |
| Lance Stroll | Aston-Martin | $10 million |
| Carlos Sainz Jr | Ferrari | $10 million |
| Sergio Perez | red bull | $8 million |
| Kevin Magussen | haas | $6 million |
| Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri | $5 million |
| Esteban Ocon | Alpine | $5 million |
| George Russell | Mercedes | $5 million |
| Alexander Albon | Williams | $2 million |
| Mike Schumacher | haas | $1 million |
| Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo | $1 million |
| Nicholas Latifi | Williams | $1 million |
| Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | $750,000 |
The salary that drivers are paid depends largely on the team they are in and how well they perform. It is apparent from Perez’s teammate, Max Verstappen, is paid $25 million, while the Mexican is only paid $8 million.
Verstappen helped the team score world championships. Meanwhile, Perez acted as the second driver.
It should be noted that the figures mentioned here may not be entirely accurate. The actual salaries of all the drivers might differ, given this list was created at the start of the season.
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