Revealed: F1's 10 highest-paid drivers in 2023 including Hamilton's new contract

Top 10 driver paydays in 2023

1. Max Verstappen - $70m (salary $45m, bonuses $25m)
2. Lewis Hamilton - $55m (salary $55m, bonuses $0)
3. Fernando Alonso - $34m (salary $24m, bonuses $10m)
4. Sergio Perez - $26m (salary $10m, bonuses $16m)
5. Charles Leclerc - $19m (salary $14m, bonuses $5m)
6. Lando Norris - $15m (salary $5m, bonuses $10m)
7. Carlos Sainz - $14m (salary $8m, bonuses $6m)
8. George Russell - $9m (salary $4m, bonuses $5m)
9. Pierre Gasly - $8m (salary $5m, bonuses $3m)
10. Oscar Piastri - $8m (salary $3m, bonuses $5m)

These figures were reported by Forbes at the conclusion of Verstappen's third championship-winning season in a row.

F1 driver salaries plus bonuses from their teams are not their only earnings (they also pocket money through sponsorships and marketing activities) but these numbers are estimated solely on their on-track earnings.

The top 10 drivers raked in $258m combined this year, a reduction from $264 in 2022.

Verstappen's huge bonuses, having won 19 grands prix, made a huge difference.

But Hamilton is reportedly on a bigger base salary than Verstappen. Although he didn't claim a penny in bonuses after a second winless year.

Verstappen can probably hope for a raise from Red Bull after his record-breaking year, while Hamilton penned a new contract with Mercedes midway through 2023.

“Clearly that is a big differentiator today, that big teams can just offer much bigger salaries to drivers,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff told Forbes.

Haas’ Guenther Steiner added: “Once the cost cap starts to work even better than now, and I’m saying it’s already working good now, the driver will have more of an impact again.

“And obviously the price for the drivers will go up.”