Max Verstappen earning 5 million more than Lewis Hamilton: How much are F1 2025 drivers earning?

Going into the new F1 season, Max Verstappen earns around 65 million dollars approximately.

The 2025 Formula One season is scheduled to begin next month, with Australia to host the first Grand Prix of the new campaign. Max Verstappen reigned supreme last season as he bagged his fourth Drivers’ Championship title in a row, getting past a late challenge from McLaren driver Lando Norris.

Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen in action.(AFP)

But ahead of the new season, Verstappen knows that he will face stiff competition from Lewis Hamilton, who moved to Ferrari.

How much are F1 drivers earning?

Going into the new season, Verstappen earns around 65 million dollars approximately, and Hamilton reportedly earns 60 million dollars. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc is third in the list, and receives approximately 34 million dollars and has Hamilton as his new teammate.

Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris received 20 million dollars per year, and both have a contract till 2026. Mercedes’ George Russell makes a massive sum of 15 million dollars per season, and Williams’ Carlso Sainz will get 10 million dollars until 2027, every season. Also, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and his teammate Alex Albon receive 8 million dollars per year.

Also, Nico Hulkenberg, Esteban Ocon are on 7 million dollars per year, and Oscar Piastri gets six million dollars every season. On the other hand, Lance Stroll earns 3 million dollars and Yuki Tsunoda gets 2 million dollars. Also, Verstappen’s new teammate Liam Lawson is making 1 million per year.

Meanwhile, Bernie Ecclestone feels Hamilton won’t last long in Ferrari. Speaking to The Telegraph, he said, “I don't think Lewis will get the same attention at Ferrari.”

“Firstly, the team are happy with Charles Leclerc, his team-mate. Leclerc speaks their language, so they’ll be looking after him. Even if Lewis does well, there’ll still be a lot of enemies, because he has suddenly arrived. I have my theory about this. It’s not the age with drivers, it’s how long they have been doing the same thing. I have thought with Lewis, ‘He’s getting tired. He has lost motivation.’ If he had never won a world championship, it might be different, because then there would be an incentive to win one. But he has won seven.”