THE 2022 F1 season has seen Max Verstappen stroll to a comfortable second title with several races to spare.
The Dutchman, 25, edged Lewis Hamilton to last year’s crown with a thrilling final-lap overtake in December.
But this year’s title fight was far more straightforward as Verstappen coasted to the crown ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.
It comes after he signed a mega £37million-per-year new contract with Red Bull prior to the 2022 campaign.
The pay packet means he is just £3m behind his F1 rival Hamilton.
Seven-time champion Hamilton, 37, remains the best-paid driver with a salary of £40m after add-ons and bonuses.
READ MORE IN F1
And the pair are miles clear of the rest of the field when it comes to their salaries.
McLaren star Lando Norris comes in third after signing a new bumper four-year contract.
Norris, 22, will take home £10.5m per year – more than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and outgoing McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo (both £10.19m).
Ferrari ace Carlos Sainz and Aston Martin star Sebastian Vettel both earn £7.28m per year on their current deals.
Most read in Motorsport
JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
Alpine’s legendary racer Fernando Alonso sits eighth with an annual salary of £6.55m.
Red Bull’s Perez comes next (£4.5m) and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon (£4m) completes the top ten.
Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate George Russell failed to even make the top half of the grid.
But he is delivering more than enough on the track, currently sitting fourth in the standings, 27 points ahead of Hamilton.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
