Lewis Hamilton makes $5 million less than Max Verstappen: How much do drivers in Formula One 2025 make?

The 2025 Formula One season is set to kick off next month, with Australia hosting the inaugural Grand Prix of the new year. Max Verstappen dominated last season by securing his fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship title, overcoming a late threat from McLaren’s Lando Norris. However, before the new season begins, Verstappen understands that he will encounter tough competition from Lewis Hamilton, who has transferred to Ferrari.

As the new season approaches, Verstappen is estimated to earn roughly 65 million dollars, while Hamilton is said to earn about 60 million dollars. At the same time, Charles Leclerc ranks third on the list, earning around 34 million dollars and has Hamilton as his new partner.

Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris each earned 20 million dollars annually, with contracts extending until 2026. Mercedes’ George Russell earns an impressive 15 million dollars each season, while Williams’ Carlos Sainz will receive 10 million dollars annually until 2027. Furthermore,

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and his partner Alex Albon earn 8 million dollars annually. Additionally, Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon receive 7 million dollars each year, while Oscar Piastri makes six million dollars per season. Conversely, Lance Stroll makes 3 million dollars while Yuki Tsunoda receives 2 million dollars. Additionally, Verstappen’s new partner Liam Lawson is earning 1 million annually.

Meanwhile, Bernie Ecclestone feels Hamilton won’t last long in Ferrari. Speaking to The Telegraph, he said, “I don’t think Lewis will get the same attention at Ferrari.” “Firstly, the team are happy with Charles Leclerc, his team-mate. Leclerc speaks their language, so they’ll be looking after him. Even if Lewis does well, there’ll still be a lot of enemies, because he has suddenly arrived. I have my theory about this. It’s not the age with drivers, it’s how long they have been doing the same thing. I have thought with Lewis, ‘He’s getting tired. He has lost motivation.’ If he had never won a world championship, it might be different, because then there would be an incentive to win one. But he has won seven.”