How much money are the 20 Formula 1 drivers set to earn in the 2019 season? Who are the sport’s highest paid and lowest paid drivers?
The start of the 21-race 2019 Formula 1 season is just around the corner, as the season-opener, the Australian Grand Prix, is scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 17 at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne, Australia.
A total of 20 drivers are set to drive for the sport’s 10 teams once again this season, with two drivers driving for each team. Of the sport’s 20 drivers, eight are set to return to the teams for which they drove in the 2018 season.
Of the other 12 drivers, six drove for different teams in the 2018 season whereas the other six did not compete in Formula 1 at all in the 2018 season. Three of these six drivers have never competed in Formula 1 before.
The driver lineups for two of the sport’s 10 teams stayed the same from the 2018 season to the 2019 season while four of the other eight teams retained one of their two drivers from the 2018 season and replaced another. The other four teams completely overhauled their driver lineups from the 2018 season to the 2019 season.
With the offseason between the 2018 and 2019 seasons nearly complete, let’s have a look at how much money each of the sport’s 20 drivers are set to make in the 2019 season.
Here are the driver salaries for all 20 of the drivers who are set to compete full-time in the 2019 season.
NOTE: All money amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars ($).
20. Alexander Albon – $170,000
Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Alexander Albon is Formula 1’s 20th highest (and overall lowest) paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $170,000.
Albon is one of the six drivers who are set to compete in Formula 1 this season after not doing so last season. He is one of the three drivers who have never previously competed in Formula 1.
Most recently, the 22-year-old Thai-British driver competed in the Formula 2 Championship on a full-time basis in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. After driving for ART Grand Prix and finishing in 10th place in the driver standings in the 2017 season, he drove for DAMS and finished in third in the standings in the 2018 season.
Albon also competed in Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 from the 2012 season through the 2014 season. He competed in Formula Renault 2.0 Alps in the 2012 season before competing in Formula Renault 2.0 NEC in the 2013 and 2014 seasons. He drove for EPIC Racing in both of the series in which he competed during the 2012 season and he drove for KTR in both of the series in which he competed during the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
In the 2015 season, Albon drove for Signature in the Formula 3 European Championship and finished in seventh place in the driver standings. He drove for ART Grand Prix in the 2016 GP3 Series season and finished in second in the standings.
19. George Russell – $180,000
ROKiT Williams Racing’s George Russell is Formula 1’s 19th highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $180,000.
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport junior driver is another one of the six drivers who are set to compete in Formula 1 this season after not doing so last season, and he is another one of the three drivers who fit into this category and have never previously competed in Formula 1.
Most recently, in his first and only season competing in the Formula 2 Championship, the 2018 season, the 21-year-old Briton drove for ART Grand Prix and won the championship. He won this championship after driving for the team in his rookie GP3 Series season, the 2017 season, and winning that championship as well.
Russell also won the 2014 BRDC Formula 4 Championship driving for Lanan Racing, and he competed in Formula Renault 2.0 Alps as driver for Koiranen GP in the 2014 season as well. He finished in fourth place in the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps driver standings that year.
In addition, Russell competed in the Formula 3 European Championship in the 2015 and 2016 seasons. He drove for Carlin and finished in sixth place in the driver standings in the 2015 season, and he drove for HitechGP and finished in third in the standings in the 2016 season.
18. Antonio Giovinazzi – $230,000
Alfa Romeo Racing’s Antonio Giovinazzi is Formula 1’s 18th highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $230,000.
Giovinazzi is also one of the six drivers who are set to compete in Formula 1 this season after not doing so last season, but he is one of the three drivers who fit into this category and have previously competed in Formula 1.
He drove for Sauber in two races to open up the 2017 season as the replacement for the injured Pascal Wehrlein. In the first of these two races, the Australian Grand Prix, he finished in 12th place, while in the second, the Chinese Grand Prix, he crashed out.
The 25-year-old Italian has not driven in a series on a full-time basis since he drove for Prema Racing in the 2016 GP2 Series season. He finished in second place in the driver standings this season. He finished in third in the 2015-2016 Asian Le Mans Series standings driving for Jagonya Ayam with Eurasia.
Giovinazzi also competed in Formula Pilota China in the 2012 season, and he won the championship driving for Eurasia Motorsport. He drove for Double R Racing in the 2013 Formula 3 European Championship and in the 2013 British Formula 3 Championship. He finished in second place in the driver standings in the latter.
Giovinazzi continued to compete in the Formula 3 European Championship in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He drove for Jagonya Ayam with Carlin in both of these seasons. After finishing in sixth place in the 2014 driver standings, he finished in second in the 2015 standings.
17. Lando Norris – $260,000
McLaren’s Lando Norris is Formula 1’s 17th highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $260,000.
Just as the three drivers who were already discussed in this article, Norris is another one of the six drivers who are set to compete in Formula 1 this season after not doing so last season. He is also another one of the three drivers who fit into this category and have never previously competed in Formula 1, and he is set to be the highest paid driver of these three drivers in the 2019 season.
After winning the 2017 Formula 3 European Championship in his first season as a full-time driver in the series driving for Carlin, the 19-year-old Briton drove for Carlin in the 2018 Formula 2 Championship and finished in second place in the driver standings in his first season as a full-time driver in the series.
Norris also competed in the 2014 Ginetta Junior Championship. He finished in third place in the driver standings driving for HHC Motorsport. In the 2015 season, he drove for Carlin in the MSA Formula Championship, he drove for Mücke Motorsport in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship and the Italian Formula 4 Championship, and he drove for HHC Motorsport in the BRDC Formula 4 Autumn Trophy. He won the MSA Formula Championship that year.
In the 2016 season, Norris won championships in Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula Renault 2.0 NEC driving for Josef Kaufmann Racing, and he won the Toyota Racing Series championship driving for M2 Competition.
16. Daniil Kvyat – $300,000
Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat is Formula 1’s 16th highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $300,000.
Kvyat, just like the four drivers who were already discussed in this article, is also one of the six drivers who are set to compete in Formula 1 this season after not doing so last season. However, he is one of the three drivers who fit into this category and have previously competed in Formula 1.
The 24-year-old Russian made his Formula 1 debut in the 2014 season, which is also when his career as a full-time driver in the sport began. He drove for Scuderia Toro Rosso, the Red Bull Racing junior team, throughout the 2014 season before he was promoted to Red Bull Racing ahead of the 2015 season.
Kvyat spent the entire 2015 season driving for Red Bull Racing, but after the fourth race of the 2016 season, he was replaced by then 18-year-old Max Verstappen. Throughout the remainder of the 2016 season, he drove for Toro Rosso. He drove for the team in 15 of the 21 races on the 2017 schedule before he was cut, and now he is set to return to the team.
In 72 career Formula 1 starts, Kvyat has earned two podium finishes, both during his tenure driving for Red Bull Racing. He earned a career-high second place finish in the 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix, and he earned a career-high seventh place finish in the driver standings in the 2015 season. His average career starting position is 11.6 and his average career finishing position is 12.4.
15. Robert Kubica – $570,000
ROKiT Williams Racing’s Robert Kubica is Formula 1’s 15th highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $570,000.
Of the six drivers who are set to compete in Formula 1 this season after not doing so last season and of the three drivers who fit into this category but have previously compete in Formula 1, Robert Kubica is the one who is set to make the most money in the 2019 season, and by quite a sizable margin.
The 34-year-old Pole has not competed in Formula 1 since the 2010 season. Most recently, he was set to drive for Scuderia Ferrari in the 2012 season, but he was severely injured as a result of a devastating rally crash in which he was involved in 2011, so he did not end up doing so.
Kubica’s Formula 1 career began in the 2006 season when he drove in six of the season’s 18 races for BMW Sauber, and his career as a full-time driver in the sport began in the 2007 season when he continued driving for the team. He ended up leaving the team following the conclusion of the 2009 season, and he drove for Renault in the 2010 season.
In 76 career Formula 1 starts, Kubica’s lone victory is his 2008 Canadian Grand Prix victory. Including this victory, he has earned 12 podium finishes. He took his lone pole position for the 2008 Bahrain Grand Prix, and he earned a career-high finish of fourth place in the driver standings in the 2008 season. His average career starting position is 7.7 and his average career finishing position is 8.8.
T-13. Kevin Magnussen – $1,200,000
Rich Energy Haas’ Kevin Magnussen is Formula 1’s 13th highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $1,200,000, although he is technically tied for 13th place on this list with another driver.
Magnussen is one of the eight drivers who are set to return to the teams for which they drove in the 2018 season in the 2019 season. He is set to be the lowest paid of these eight drivers.
Magnussen’s Formula 1 career began in the 2014 season, which he spent driving for McLaren on a full-time basis. He did not drive for the team in the 2015 season, but he was named the replacement for the injured Fernando Alonso in the season opener, the Australian Grand Prix. However, his car broke down on the out lap before the race began.
In the 2016 season, Magnussen’s career as a full-time Formula 1 driver resumed when he drove for Renault. He has not missed a race since the start of this season. He began driving for Haas at the start of the 2017 season, and he has driven for the sport’s lone American team ever since.
In his 81 career Formula 1 starts, Magnussen has recorded one podium finish. This podium finish is his second place finish in the 2014 Australian Grand Prix, which was the first race of his Formula 1 career. He earned his career-high finish of ninth in the driver standings in the 2018 season. His average career starting position is 12.7 and his average career finishing position is 12.3.
T-13. Lance Stroll – $1,200,000
Racing Point’s Lance Stroll is Formula 1’s 13th highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $1,200,000, although he is technically tied for 13th place on this list with Rich Energy Haas’ Kevin Magnussen.
Stroll 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. He is set to be the lowest paid out of these six drivers.
Stroll’s Formula 1 career began in the 2017 season, and he has driven on a full-time basis ever since. He drove for Williams on a full-time basis in the 2017 and 2018 seasons before making the move to Racing Point for the 2019 season.
Billionaire Canadian investor Lawrence Stroll, Lance’s father, led a consortium to purchase Force India during the 2018 season and then renamed the team Racing Point, so the 19-year-old Stroll is set to drive for his father’s team this year.
In his 41 career Formula 1 starts, the former member of the Ferrari Driver Academy has recorded one podium finish. This podium finish is his third place finish in the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He earned his career-high finish of 12th in the driver standings in the 2017 season. His average career starting position is 15.4 and his average career finishing position is 13.3.
12. Pierre Gasly – $1,400,000
Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Pierre Gasly is Formula 1’s 12th highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $1,400,000.
Like Racing Point’s Lance Stroll, Gasly 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.
Gasly’s Formula 1 career began in the 2017 season after he competed and had success in a number of other series. He finished in third place in the French Formula 4 Championship driver standings in the 2011 season driving for Autosport Academy before spending the 2012 and 2013 seasons competing in Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0.
In the 2012 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season, Gasly drove for R-ace GP and finished in 10th place in the driver standings. In the 2013 season, he drove for Tech 1 Racing and won the championship. The following year, he finished in second in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series standings driving for Arden Motorsport.
After finishing in eighth place in the driver standings in the 2015 GP2 Series season, which was his first season as a full-time driver in the series, driving for DAMS, he won the 2016 GP2 Series championship driving for Prema Racing
Gasly drove for Scuderia Toro Rosso, the Red Bull Racing junior team, in five of the 2017 Formula 1 season’s 20 races, and he returned to the team in the 2018 season after he was promoted to become of their two full-time drivers.
Before the 2018 season ended, it was announced that Gasly would be promoted to Red Bull Racing for the 2019 season. Red Bull Racing’s signing of Gasly was one of the biggest blockbuster signings if not the biggest blockbuster signing of the 2018/2019 silly season.
In his 26 career Formula 1 starts, the 23-year-old Frenchman has recorded a career-high finish of fourth place, which he recorded in the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix. He finished in 15th in the driver standings in the 2018 season. His average career starting position is 14.4 and his average career finishing position is 13.0.
11. Romain Grosjean – $1,800,000
Rich Energy Haas’ Romain Grosjean is Formula 1’s 11th highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $1,800,000.
Like teammate Kevin Magnussen, Grosjean is another one of the eight drivers who are set to return to the teams for which they drove in the 2018 season in the 2019 season.
Grosjean’s Formula 1 career began in the 2009 season. He spent seven of the season’s 17 races driving for Renault, but he did not return to the sport in the 2010 season or the 2011 season. He began driving on a full-time basis in the 2012 season, and he has driven on a full-time basis ever since.
The 32-year-old Frenchman drove for Lotus from the 2012 season through the 2015 season before making the move to Haas ahead of the 2016 season, which was the team’s first season of competition in Formula 1. He has driven for the team ever since.
In his 143 career Formula 1 starts, Grosjean has recorded 10 podium finishes, of which two are second place finishes and eighth are third place finishes. He recorded his career-high finishes of second in the 2012 Canadian Grand Prix and the 2013 United States Grand Prix.
Grosjean earned his career-high finish of seventh place in the driver standings in the 2013 season. His average career starting position is 11.4 and his average career finishing position is 12.5.
T-9. Sergio Perez – $3,500,000
Racing Point’s Sergio Perez is Formula 1’s ninth highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $3,500,000, although he is technically tied for ninth place on this list with another driver.
Like Rich Energy Haas teammates Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean, Perez is one of the eight drivers who are set to return to the teams for which they drove in the 2018 season in the 2019 season.
Perez’s Formula 1 career began at the beginning of the 2011 season, and he has driven on a full-time basis ever since, although he did miss two races in the 2011 season and another race in the 2014 season.
The 29-year-old Mexican drove for Sauber in the 2011 and 2012 seasons before driving for McLaren in the 2013 season. He then made the move to Force India ahead of the 2014 season, and he has driven for the team, which are now named Racing Point, ever since.
In his 155 career Formula 1 starts, Perez has recorded eight podium finishes, of which two are second place finishes and eighth are third place finishes. He recorded his career-high finishes of second in the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix and the 2012 Italian Grand Prix.
Perez earned his career-high finishes of seventh place in the driver standings in the 2016 and 2017 seasons. His average career starting position is 11.1 and his average career finishing position is 10.3.
T-9. Charles Leclerc – $3,500,000
Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is Formula 1’s ninth highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $3,500,000, although he is technically tied for ninth place on this list with Racing Point’s Sergio Perez.
Like Racing Point’s Lance Stroll and Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Pierre Gasly, Leclerc 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.
Leclerc’s Formula 1 career began at the beginning of the 2018 season after he finished in fourth place in the 2014 Formula 2 Renault 2.0 Alps driver standings and fourth in the 2015 Formula 3 European Championship standings driving for Fortec Motorsports and Van Amersfoort Racing, respectively, and then won the 2016 GP3 Series championship driving for ART Grand Prix and the 2017 Formula 2 Championship driving for Prema Racing. He drove for Alfa Romeo Sauber throughout his rookie season in Formula 1 and did not miss a single race.
Before his rookie season ended, it was announced that the 21-year-old Monegasque would make the move to Ferrari for the 2019 season and that his contract with the team extends through at least the 2022 season. Ferrari’s signing of Leclerc was arguably the biggest blockbuster signing of the 2018/2019 silly season.
In his 21 career Formula 1 starts, the career-high finish of the former Ferrari Driver Academy member is his sixth place finish, which he recorded in the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He finished in 13th in the driver standings in the 2018 season as the sport’s top rookie after recording an average career starting position of 12.3 and an average career finishing position of 12.5.
8. Carlos Sainz Jr. – $4,000,000
McLaren’s Carlos Sainz Jr. is Formula 1’s eighth highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $4,000,000.
Like Racing Point’s Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Pierre Gasly and Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, Sainz Jr. 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.
Sainz Jr.’s Formula 1 career began at the beginning of the 2015 season, and he has not missed a single race since the 2015 season began. He drove for Scuderia Toro Rosso, the Red Bull Racing junior team, on a full-time basis throughout the 2015 and 2016 seasons, and he continued to do so for much of the 2017 season.
But after the first 16 races of the 20-race 2017 season, the 24-year-old Spaniard began driving for Renault, the team for which he drove to wrap up the 2017 season and throughout the entirety of the 2018 season before making the move to McLaren.
In his 81 career Formula 1 starts, Sainz Jr.’s career-high finish is his fourth place finish, which he recorded in the 2017 Singapore Grand Prix. He earned a career-high finish of ninth in the driver standings in the 2017 season. His average career starting position is 11.6 and his average career finishing position is 11.8.
T-6. Nico Hulkenberg – $4,500,000
Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg 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 another driver.
Like Rich Energy Haas teammates Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean and Racing Point’s Sergio Perez, Hulkenberg is one of the eight drivers who are set to return to the teams for which they drove in the 2018 season in the 2019 season.
Hulkenberg’s Formula 1 career began in the 2010 season when he drove for Williams on a full-time basis, but he did not return to the sport until the 2012 season. He has driven on a full-time basis ever since the 2012 season, and he has only missed two races, one in the 2013 season and one in the 2015 season.
From the 2012 season through the 2016 season, the 31-year-old German drove for Force India. He began driving for Renault in the 2017 season, and he has driven for the team ever since.
In his 156 career Formula 1 starts, Hulkenberg’s career-high finishes are fourth place finishes, which he recorded in the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix, the 2013 Korean Grand Prix and the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix. He took his lone pole position for the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix.
Hulkenberg’s earned a career-high finish of seventh place in the driver standings in the 2018 season. His average career starting position is 10.3 and his average career finishing position is 11.5.
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.
5. Valtteri Bottas – $8,500,000
Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport’s Valtteri Bottas is Formula 1’s fifth highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $8,500,000.
Like Rich Energy Haas teammates Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean, Racing Point’s Sergio Perez, and Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg, Bottas is one of the eight drivers who are set to return to the teams for which they drove in the 2018 season in the 2019 season.
Bottas’s Formula 1 career began at the beginning of the 2012 season, and he has not missed a single race since the 2012 season began. The 29-year-old Finn drove for Williams from the 2013 season to the 2016 season before signing a deal to drive for Mercedes beginning in the 2017 season.
Bottas has driven for Mercedes ever since, and he has a contract to continue to do so through at least the 2019 season, as his current contract carries an additional one-year option that allows the Brackley-based team to retain him for the 2020 season if they choose to do so.
In his 118 career Formula 1 starts, Bottas has earned three victories, 30 podium finishes and six pole positions. He has earned all three of his victories and all six of his pole positions during his tenure driving for Mercedes. He earned a career-high finish of third place in the driver standings in the 2017 season. His average career starting position is 7.1 and his average career finishing position is 7.7.
4. Max Verstappen – $13,500,000
Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen is Formula 1’s fourth highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $13,500,000.
Like Rich Energy Haas teammates Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean, Racing Point’s Sergio Perez, Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg and Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport’s Valtteri Bottas, Verstappen is one of the eight drivers who are set to return to the teams for which they drove in the 2018 season in the 2019 season.
Verstappen’s Formula 1 career began at the beginning of the 2015 season, and he has not missed a single race since the 2015 season began. After driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso, the Red Bull Racing junior team, in the 2015 season and in the first four races of the 2016 season, he was promoted to Red Bull Racing, the team for which he has driven ever since and has a contract to continue driving for through the 2020 season.
In his 81 career Formula 1 starts, the 21-year-old Dutchman has earned five victories and 22 podium finishes. He has earned all of these victories and podium finishes during his tenure driving for Red Bull Racing. He earned a career-high fourth place finish in the driver standings in the 2018 season. His average career starting position is 7.6 and his average career finishing position is 8.3.
3. Daniel Ricciardo – $17,000,000
Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo is Formula 1’s third highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $17,000,000.
Like Racing Point’s Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Pierre Gasly, Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, McLaren’s Carlos Sainz Jr. and Alfa Romeo Racing’s Kimi Raikkonen, Ricciardo 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. He is set to be the highest paid out of these six drivers, and by far.
Ricciardo has competed in Formula 1 since the 2011 season when he drove for HRT in 11 of the season’s 19 races. He began his career as a full-time driver in the sport in the 2012 season, and he has not missed a race since.
The 29-year-old Australian drove for Scuderia Toro Rosso, the Red Bull Racing junior team, in the 2012 and 2013 seasons before he was promoted to Red Bull Racing ahead of the 2014 season. He spent each of the last five seasons driving for the Milton Keynes-based team before making the switch to Renault on a new two-year contract.
In his 150 career Formula 1 starts, Ricciardo has earned seven victories, 29 podium finishes and three pole positions. He earned all of these victories, podium finishes and pole positions during his five-year tenure driving for Red Bull Racing.
Ricciardo recorded career-high finishes of third place in the driver standings in the 2014 and 2016 seasons. His average career starting position is 9.5 and his average career finishing position is 9.7.
2. Sebastian Vettel – $45,000,000
Scuderia Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel is Formula 1’s second highest paid driver for the 2019 season with a salary of $45,000,000.
Like Rich Energy Haas teammates Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean, Racing Point’s Sergio Perez, Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport’s Valtteri Bottas and Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, Vettel is one of the eight drivers who are set to return to the teams for which they drove in the 2018 season in the 2019 season.
Vettel has competed in Formula 1 since the 2007 season when he drove for Scuderia Toro Rosso, the Red Bull Racing junior team, in seven of the season’s 17 races and he drove for BMW Sauber in another. He began his career as a full-time driver in the sport in the 2008 season, and he has not missed a race since.
The 31-year-old German drove for Toro Rosso in the 2008 season, before he was promoted to Red Bull Racing ahead of the 2009 season, which ended up being the first of his six seasons driving for the team, as he did not leave until after the conclusion of the 2014 season.
Vettel began driving for Ferrari in the 2015 season, and he has driven for the team ever since. His current contract with the team expires at the end of the 2020 season.
In his 219 career Formula 1 starts, Vettel has earned 52 victories, a total that ranks third on the all-time Formula 1 wins list behind the career win totals of Michael Schumacher (91) and Lewis Hamilton (73). He has also earned 111 podium finishes, a total that ranks third on the all-time Formula 1 podium finishes list behind the career podium finish totals of Schumacher (155) and Hamilton (134).
In addition, Vettel has earned 55 pole positions, a total that ranks fourth on the all-time Formula 1 pole positions list behind the career pole position totals of Hamilton (83), Schumacher (68) and Ayrton Senna (65).
In his 11 seasons competing in Formula 1 on a full-time basis, Vettel has only finished outside of the top five in the driver standings once, as he finished in eighth place in his rookie season driving for Toro Rosso.
Vettel has won four championships, a total that is tied for fourth place on the all-time Formula 1 titles list with that of Alain Prost and behind the career championship totals of Schumacher (seven), Hamilton (five) and Juan Manuel Fangio (five). Vettel’s career average starting position is 5.0, and his career average finishing position is 5.9.
1. Lewis Hamilton – $57,000,000
Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsports’ Lewis Hamilton is Formula 1’s highest paid driver for the 2019 season, which should come to the surprise of absolutely nobody. His salary for the 2019 season is $57,000,000.
Like Rich Energy Haas teammates Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean, Racing Point’s Sergio Perez, Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg, teammate Valtteri Bottas, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen and Scuderia Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, Hamilton is one of the eight drivers who are set to return to the teams for which they drove in the 2018 season in the 2019 season.
Hamilton has competed in Formula 1 since the 2007 season, and he has not missed a single race since he began driving. After driving for McLaren from the 2007 season through the 2012 season, he began driving for Mercedes in the 2013 season. He has driven for the team ever since, and his current contract with the team expires at the end of the 2020 season.
In his 229 career Formula 1 starts, the 34-year-old Briton has earned 73 victories, a total that ranks second on the all-time Formula 1 wins list behind that of Michael Schumacher (91). He has also earned 134 podium finishes, a total that ranks second on the all-time Formula 1 podium finishes list behind that of Schumacher (155). His 83 career pole positions are an all-time record by far, as the second place total of Schumacher is 68.
In his 12 seasons competing in Formula 1, Hamilton has never finished in lower than fifth place in the driver standings. He has won five championships, a total that is tied for second place on the all-time Formula 1 titles list with that of Juan Manuel Fangio and behind that of Schumacher (seven). Hamilton’s career average starting position is 4.0, and his career average finishing position is 5.2.
Total team spending on drivers
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Here is a list of how much each of Formula 1’s 10 teams are set to spend on the salaries of their drivers for the 2019 season.
NOTE: In parenthesis beside each team name are the engine manufacturers for each team. Also, the percentages listed beside the driver money amounts are the percentages of team driver spending that each driver accounts for within each team. Finally, the percentages listed beside the team money amounts are the percentages of the total spending on drivers throughout Formula 1 that each of the sport’s 10 teams account for.
10. Scuderia Toro Rosso (Honda)
- Daniil Kvyat: $300,000 (63.83%)
- Alexander Albon: $170,000 (36.17%)
- Total: $470,000 (0.28%)
9. ROKiT Williams Racing (Mercedes)
- Robert Kubica: $570,000 (76.00%)
- George Russell: $180,000 (24.00%)
- Total: $750,000 (0.45%)
8. Rich Energy Haas (Ferrari)
- Romain Grosjean: $1,800,000 (60.00%)
- Kevin Magnussen: $1,200,000 (40.00%)
- Total: $3,000,000 (1.78%)
7. McLaren (Renault)
- Carlos Sainz Jr.: $4,000,000 (93.90%)
- Lando Norris: $260,000 (6.10%)
- Total: $4,260,000 (2.53%)
6. Racing Point (Mercedes)
- Sergio Perez: $3,500,000 (74.47%)
- Lance Stroll: $1,200,000 (25.53%)
- Total: $4,700,000 (2.79%)
5. Alfa Romeo Racing (Ferrari)
- Kimi Raikkonen: $4,500,000 (95.14%)
- Antonio Giovinazzi: $230,000 (4.86%)
- Total: $4,730,000 (2.81%)
4. Aston Martin Red Bull Racing (Honda)
- Max Verstappen: $13,500,000 (90.60%)
- Pierre Gasly: $1,400,000 (9.40%)
- Total: $14,900,000 (8.85%)
3. Renault (Renault)
- Daniel Ricciardo: $17,000,000 (79.07%)
- Nico Hulkenberg: $4,500,000 (20.93%)
- Total: $21,500,000 (12.77%)
2. Scuderia Ferrari (Ferrari)
- Sebastian Vettel: $45,000,000 (92.78%)
- Charles Leclerc: $3,500,000 (7.22%)
- Total: $48,500,000 (28.82%)
1. Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport (Mercedes)
- Lewis Hamilton: $57,000,000 (87.02%)
- Valtteri Bottas: $8,500,000 (12.98%)
- Total: $65,500,000 (38.92%)
Which teams will end up having gotten the best deals in terms of driver performance and results by the time the 2019 Formula 1 season ends, and which teams will end up having gotten ripped off?
The 21-race season is scheduled to begin on Sunday, March 17 with the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne Australia, and it is set to last through Sunday, December 1, which is when the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is scheduled to take place from Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.