IT’S the most expensive sport in the world – so it’s no surprise top Formula 1 drivers boast an eye-watering bank balance.
The likes of Lewis Hamilton, Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez certainly enjoy life in the fast lane – with supercar collections, huge mansions and luxury holidays.
This weekend sees the 2023 Formula 1 rev into gear, with 20 drivers set to battle it out for supremacy on the grid.
Ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, we reveal the 10 drivers at the top of the rich list.
Lewis Hamilton – £270.9m
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Lewis is currently F1’s highest-paid driver – his contract with Mercedes nets him £41.6million each year, and he’s estimated to be worth £270.9m.
The seven-time world champion has numerous endorsement deals with the likes of Puma, Sony, Police, and Tommy Hilfiger.
SPORT FEATURES
Hertfordshire-born Lewis is said to be raking in an additional £16.6million from these sponsorship deals.
Planet F1 reports he has an impressive private collection of supercars worth over £13million, including a Pagani Zonda, a Mercedes-AMG Project One, and a Ferrari LaFerrari, among others.
Lewis also owns a £49.1million penthouse in New York, according to GQ, and a £19.1million six-bedroom home in London.
Fernando Alonso – £216m
Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, 41, has shown no signs of slowing down since his debut back in 2001.
Most read in Motorsport
This season the Spanish star has signed a new deal with Aston Martin believed to be worth around £17.8million.
He also has several sponsorship deals and owns the clothing brand Kimoa.
Savvy Alonso has also invested in private companies, said to reap him incredible rewards.
Unsurprisingly, Alonso likes his cars – he owns over 300 that have been put on display in the Fernando Alonso Sports Complex in Spain, reports the Express.
The racer owns homes in Oxford and Switzerland, as well as an apartment in a 52-storey building in Dubai.
Max Verstappen – £75m
Reigning champion Max Verstappen has been competing in Formula 1 since 2015 and signed a new five-year contract with Red Bull last year, reportedly worth £41.6million.
This makes him the joint-highest paid racer on the grid alongside Hamilton.
Max also benefits from lucrative deals from the likes of G-Star RAW, Red Bull, and EA Sports.
As he’s only 25, industry experts predict his estimated £75m fortune will soar in the coming years.
Max is said to have bought a private jet from Sir Richard Branson worth £11million, which costs over £830,000 to maintain.
Sergio Perez – £62.4m
Sergio, 33, may not be the highest-paid driver on the grid, but he’s been amassing an impressive fortune since his debut in 2011.
His estimated £62.4million net worth, which includes an £8.3million salary from Red Bull, makes him one of the richest athletes in the world.
The Mexican also has investments and an incredible list of endorsement deals, including Ticel, Telmox, and Claro.
Checo reportedly owns a multi-million dollar 15,000-square-foot mansion in Mexico and supercars including a Bugatti Chiron, which cost around £2million.
Daniel Ricciardo – £41.6m
He may only be a reserve driver for Red Bull this year, but Australian Daniel has eight Grand Prix wins and 32 podiums under his belt, and an estimated £41.6m fortune.
After being tied to Red Bull for five years, he signed a lucrative deal with Renault in 2020, which bagged him a mention on Forbes’ top 50 highest sports people that year.
This season he’s been replaced at McLaren by Oscar Piastri.
The 33-year-old doesn’t shy away from showing off his incredible wealth – he reportedly owns three properties across three continents.
Daniel also owns supercars including a Porsche 918 Spyder and an Aston Martin Valkyrie, said to have cost a staggering £3million.
Lance Stroll – £41.6m
Lance, 24 would sit at the top of the list if his family’s wealth was taken into consideration – his dad Lawrence, who owns Aston Martin, has an estimated net worth of over £2.4billion.
The driver isn’t doing too badly for himself either, as he takes home a whopping £8.3million each year from the team.
When he’s not busy racing, Lance enjoys mountain biking, skiing, and surfing. He is dating Italian model Sara Pagliaroli.
Pierre Gasly – £27.4m
Pierre, 27, who made his debut in 2017, drives for Alpine and comes from a family heavily involved in motorsports.
His salary is reported to be £1.6million, which excludes performance bonuses and sponsorship deals that bring his estimated net worth up to £27.4m.
Pierre’s brand partnerships include headphone brand Blomm and Berger, The Grid, Destination Grand Prix, and Crypto Gaming. He also features on the Netflix documentary Drive to Survive.
He is said to be dating Italian Caterina Masetti Zannini, who shares many of her lavish trips with Pierre on Instagram.
Valtteri Bottas – £25m
Although he spent much of his career as Lewis Hamilton’s teammate at Mercedes, Valtteri Bottas, 33, was only making a quarter of the English driver’s salary.
He now races for Alfa Romeo, making up to £8.6million a year, and is one of the competition’s most popular stars.
He recently announced his partnership with Finnish sporting company Polar, and is sponsored by locking solutions company Abloy and a private jet company called Insijets.
Valtteri is currently dating Australian road cyclist Tiffany Cromwell, and has an estimated net worth of £25m.
Kevin Magnussen – £20.8m
K-Mag made his return to Formula 1 last year after Russian driver Nikita Mazepin’s contract was terminated by Haas just a few days before the 2022 season.
Although he impressed with his debut in 2014, his form dipped in subsequent years – though he put in a solid performance for Haas last season.
The 30-year-old will be keen to prove why he’s been able to amass a reported net worth of £20.8million.
His £5million salary at Haas is topped up by endorsement deals believed to be worth over £800,000.
Esteban Ocon – £14.9m
Despite being only 26, Esteban Ocon has impressed fans since his debut in 2016.
He has raced for Force India, Racing Point, Alpine, and was a test driver for Mercedes back in 2019.
Read More on The Sun
Although he earns a £4.1million salary at Alpine, his long tenure in Formula One and endorsement deals with the likes of Microsoft, Bell and Castrol have given him a hefty estimated net worth of £14.9millon.
The Frenchman reportedly owns a Mercedes AMG GTR, a Mercedes AMG C63 Edition 1, and an Alpine A110S.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
