Formula 1: Who are the highest paid drivers for the 2019 season?
By Asher Fair
T-6. Kimi Raikkonen – $4,500,000
Alfa Romeo Racing’s Kimi Raikkonen is Formula 1’s sixth highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $4,500,000, although he is technically tied for sixth place on this list with Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg.
Like Racing Point’s Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Pierre Gasly, Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Carlos Sainz Jr., Raikkonen is one of the six drivers who drove in Formula 1 last season but are set to drive for different teams in the 2019 season.
Raikkonen’s Formula 1 career began in the 2001 season, but he has not driven in the sport in every season since then. He skipped the 2010 and 2011 seasons entirely and missed two races in the 2013 season as well as one race in the 2005 season and one race in the 2017 season.
The 39-year-old Finn drove for Sauber in the 2001 season before signing with McLaren, the team for which he drove from the 2002 season through the 2006 season. From the 2007 season through the 2009 season, he drove for Ferrari, and when he returned to the sport in the 2012 season, he drove for Lotus. He drove for Lotus in the 2013 season as well before returning to Ferrari.
Raikkonen’s second stint at Ferrari lasted for five seasons, as this season is set to be his first season driving for Sauber (now Alfa Romeo Racing) since he drove for team in his rookie season. He signed a two-year contract to drive for the Swiss team through the 2020 season.
In his 292 career Formula 1 starts, the 2007 champion has earned 21 victories, 103 podium finishes and 18 pole positions. His podium finish total ranks fifth on the all-time Formula 1 podium finishes list behind the career podium finish totals of Michael Schumacher (155), Lewis Hamilton (134), Sebastian Vettel (111) and Alain Prost (106). His average career starting position is 6.4, and his average career finishing position is 7.6.