Top 10 Highest Paid F1 Drivers in 2022 » FirstSportz

Formula 1 has always been known as one of the most elite sports in the world. With expensive cars, luxurious RVs and cutting-edge technology that goes into making the race cars, formula 1 is a matter worth millions upon millions of dollars.

We currently have five races in the 2022 Formula 1 season and we have already witnessed a whirlwind of battles around the F1 grid as the new FIA regulations have given way to close competition between the various teams.

With all that’s happening right now on the grid, fans often wonder about the off-track lives of F1 drivers. In the list below you will find the names of the 10 richest F1 drivers in 2022. So, let’s get started!

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1) Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – $39.23 million

British racing driver Lewis Hamilton is one of the most successful F1 drivers in the history of the sport. He has repeatedly featured in the list of the 10 highest paid athletes in the world until recently, when he was removed from the list in 2022. Lewis Hamilton receives patronage from his Mercedes AMG team and an annual salary of $39.23 million. He also receives additional bonuses for every race win he achieves.

2) Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – $24.66 million (until 2023)

The name of reigning world champion Max Verstappen has always been associated with the British team Red Bull Racing. While the 24-year-old started his Formula 1 career driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso, he was promoted to Red Bull in 2016 to replace Daniil Kvyat.

In 2021, Max Verstappen pulled off the impossible feat of beating Lewis Hamilton in a nail-biting season that saw the championship fight raging until the very last race of the year in Abu Dhabi. The Dutchman has a multi-year contract with Red Bull until 2023 and will receive an annual salary of 24.66 million US dollars.

3) Fernando Alonso (Alps) – $19.61 million

Spanish racing driver Fernando Alonso surprisingly retired from Formula 1 at the end of 2018 when he didn’t have a team to drive for. All his fans agreed that the two-time championship winner’s career in the sport deserved better and then Alpine signed the rider after Daniel Ricciardo retired. Fernando currently earns a salary of $19.61 million and is the third highest paid F1 driver in the field.

4) Lando Norris (McLaren) – $15 million (until 2025)

At just 22 years old, British driver Lando Norris is the youngest driver on this list of the highest paid F1 drivers. Lando started in F1 in 2019, making this season his fourth year in F1. Over all these years he has shown incredible talent, making him one of the most talented youngsters who make up the ‘new generation’ in F1. In 2021 he signed a contract extension with McLaren where he received a huge pay rise. As of now, Norris’ annual salary is $15 million, and he also receives bonuses for race wins and Grand Prix podiums.

5) Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) – $14.35 million

Australian racing driver Daniel Ricciardo was a Red Bull driver when he landed an expensive deal from Renault for driving for them in 2019 and 2020. This made him the second highest paid F1 driver on the grid after Lewis Hamilton. Now the Honey Badger has switched teams again to join $14.35 million-a-year McLaren to race alongside Lando Norris. His annual salary is the same as Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel, but he’s ahead of the four-time world champion considering he’s getting more bonuses for the podiums and race wins he’s racked up over the last year.

5) Sebastian Vettel (2022 salary: $14,350,000)

Sebastian Vettel has four world championships to his name and is one of the biggest names in F1 this season. However, it came as a surprise that no contract awaited the German even as the 2020 F1 season drew to a close. Then the news spread that Vettel would sign a multi-year contract with Aston Martin. He is currently paid an annual salary of $14.35 million excluding bonuses for race wins and podiums.

7) Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – $12 million (until 2024)

Current championship leader for the 2022 F1 season, Charles Leclerc, signed a contract extension with Scuderia Ferrari in 2019 as part of a multi-year deal. According to the reports, under the terms of that deal, Leclerc will drive for Scuderia until the end of 2024. The Monegasque, who currently tops the WDC charts with 104 points, is paid an annual salary of $12 million, plus any racing bonuses he receives for winning podiums at the GPs.

8) Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) – $10 million (until 2022)

Spanish racing driver Carlos Sainz Jr. is eighth in this list of the highest paid drivers in Formula 1. Sainz, who was previously a McLaren racer, signed with Ferrari and agreed to an annual salary of $10 million. Carlos has put in a brilliant performance in the first few races of this year having already claimed 3 podiums. He is currently fifth in the World Championship standings.

9) Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) – $10 million (until 2025)

During his Mercedes stint, Valtteri Bottas proved to be one of the best teammates driving with eight-time world champion Lewis Hamilton through 2021. After the end of the season, it was reported that the Finn had signed with Alfa Romeo to race with Guanyu Zhou until 2025. Valtteri has been in excellent form in the opening races of 2022 and currently has 30 points to his tally.

10) Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – $10 million

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll is the tenth racer on this list with an annual salary of $10 million, not counting the racing bonuses he receives for scoring points, podiums and race wins.

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