6 of the richest Formula One drivers ever – net worths, ranked: from Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton to Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, who has the most millions?
- Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton beats his rival Max Verstappen in terms of net worth, while retired driver Sebastian Vettel has brand endorsements with Casio, Pepe Jeans and Infiniti
- Fernando Alonso earned millions with Aston Martin and works with brands such as Adidas and Tag Heuer – but who has brand deals with Puma, Monster Energy, Bose and Tommy Hilfiger?
With its sponsors, advertising revenue and endorsement deals, Formula One has always been one of the highest-paying sports. So how are its main stars, the drivers, doing financially? Max Verstappen broke barriers by sealing a US$70 million deal (including salary and bonuses) with Red Bull Racing in 2023, but how does he fare when it comes to total net worth?
Here are seven of the richest racing drivers of all time, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
6. Sebastian Vettel
Estimated net worth: US$140 million
The German auto racing athlete may have retired at the end of 2022, but that certainly hasn’t changed his status among the top earning F1 drivers in the world. Towards the end of his career, he was paid US$15 million per year racing for Aston Martin, per Sportskeeda. When he was racing with Ferrari, he was earning around US$40 million per year, according to Forbes.
Big deal partnerships with the likes of Casio, Pepe Jeans and Infiniti have also contributed to his wealth.
5. Jenson Button
Estimated net worth: US$150 million
The former F1 champion came out of retirement in 2023 to give three Nascar courses a spin. Per MotorSport, the British athlete said he would be committed to a full-time programme in 2024: “It’s great doing one-off races but you don’t get the best out of yourself, and that’s why doing three races here in Cup is really good, because I get to spend more time with the team and in the simulator and really get to work with my engineer, my crew chief to develop the skills between us and to develop an understanding.”
The season will no doubt add to his already bulging bank balance, which is estimated to be around US$150 million.
According to Sportskeeda, Button is based in Monaco but has homes in the UK and Bahrain.