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3w ago

Forbes Ranks 2025’s Highest‑Paid F1 Drivers: Verstappen Leads, Hamilton Second, Norris Third

Driver salaries fall outside F1’s cost cap, helping explain totals that diverge from the championship order.

Max Verstappen has topped the F1 earnings list again, while Oscar Piastri has climbed significantly. Image: XPB Images
Norris isn't top of the pile despite winning the world title
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Overview

  • Forbes estimates Max Verstappen earned $76 million in 2025, ahead of Lewis Hamilton at $70.5 million and world champion Lando Norris at $57.5 million.
  • Oscar Piastri is listed at $37.5 million by Forbes, though some Australian outlets report a $56 million total with a $41 million bonus, creating a disputed figure.
  • Reported breakdowns cite Verstappen at about $65 million base plus $11 million in bonuses, Hamilton at $70 million salary plus a $0.5 million bonus, and Norris at $18 million base with roughly $39.5 million in bonuses.
  • Forbes says its estimates draw on documents, legal filings, press reports and industry sources, and the figures exclude endorsements, merchandise revenue and taxes.
  • Coverage notes rising team revenues and valuations and the exemption of driver pay from the cost cap as factors behind larger guarantees and hefty performance bonuses.