Ranked: The best and worst value for… drivers on F1… Read More.
Ranked: The best and worst value for… drivers on F1… Read More.
In the 2024 Formula 1 season, Australian driver Oscar Piastri of McLaren offers the best value for money, costing his team $35,928 per point scored. Formula 1 salaries are extremely high, with the best drivers earning the most.
Max Verstappen, for example, reportedly earns $55 million this season, excluding bonuses, while Lewis Hamilton follows at $45 million.
Other top earners include Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, and George Russell, with Fernando Alonso earning $18 million.
At the lower end, drivers like Lance Stroll earn $3 million, with Nico Hulkenberg and Zhou Guanyu at $2 million each, and Yuki Tsunoda and Logan Sargeant at $1 million.
Value-for-money is a key consideration, and despite Verstappen’s high salary, his performance makes him worth it, as he single-handedly secured the Constructors’ Championship for Red Bull.
However, Verstappen is not the most cost-effective driver this season due to his high salary.
His cost per point has more than doubled since last year. The most costly driver without points is Valtteri Bottas of Sauber, earning $10 million but scoring none.
His teammate Zhou Guanyu also has yet to score, making Sauber the team with the highest wage bill and the least return.
Alpine drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly are also low on the value-for-money list, with Ocon scoring five points for his $6 million salary, and Gasly six points for the same amount.
Other low-value drivers include Logan Sargeant, Kevin Magnussen, Alex Albon, and Daniel Ricciardo.
Conversely, McLaren is pleased with Piastri, who is predicted to become a future F1 World Champion. With a salary of $6 million, Piastri has scored 167 points, placing him fourth in the Drivers’ Championship.
This performance, combined with Lando Norris’s contributions, has positioned McLaren as a strong contender in the Constructors’ Championship with the best points-to-dollars ratio.
The top value-for-money drivers list sees Max Verstappen at $198,555 per point, Charles Leclerc at $192,090, and George Russell at $155,172.
Lance Stroll, Lando Norris, Sergio Perez, Carlos Sainz, Nico Hulkenberg, Yuki Tsunoda, and Oscar Piastri make up the rest, with Piastri leading at $35,928 per point.
McLaren has secured Piastri with a long-term contract, although his manager Mark Webber might seek a salary adjustment.
Ferrari may reconsider their 2025 lineup, noting that Carlos Sainz offers better value at $74,074 per point compared to Charles Leclerc’s $192,090.
Additionally, Lewis Hamilton is expected to move to Ferrari next season, potentially increasing his earnings with performance bonuses.
With ten races left in the season, these figures are subject to change, but they highlight the financial dynamics and performance efficiency within the 2024 F1 grid.
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