The two motorsports with the most followers have obvious differences when it comes to the payments to their drivers.
lewis hamilton In 2023, he will earn more money than the entire MotoGP grid combined. The Briton will pocket 55 million euros for driving for Mercedes, being one of the highest paid athletes in the world -although not managing to exceed the figures of some footballers, NBA and NFL players-.
The seven-time Formula 1 champion He has the highest salary in all of Formula 1, well ahead of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, who complete the podium of the drivers who earn the most money with 40 and 25 million respectively. The Dutchman, if he wins his third title in 2023, will pocket 55 million in Red Bull thanks to the variants of his contract.
- Lewis Hamilton: 55 million fixed euros
- Max Verstappen: 40 million fixed euros
- Charles Lecrerc: 25 million fixed euros
MotoGP, on the other hand, has much more discreet salaries than heads a Marc Márquez who has won the category six times and pocketed 12.5 million. The Honda driver is by farthe best paid on a grid that has pilots who barely earn 250,000 euros for being among the best in the world.
Márquez has a great contract, but maybe will have to sacrifice money when it expires in 2024 if you want access to a winning motorcycle like the Ducati. The ilerdense heads a list in which they follow him from afar Fabio Quartararo and Joan Mir with both earning six million each completing the podium of those who enter the most per season.
- Marc Márquez: 12.5 million fixed euros
- Fabio Quartararo: 6 million fixed euros
- Joan Mir: 6 million fixed euros
A low-cost champion
The reigning world champion Pecco Bagnaia, wins five million in MotoGP, while there is a middle class in the category. This is included among the 3.5 million that Pol Espargaró takes, the three million that Jack Miller, Alex Rins and Franco Morbidelli pocket and the two that Johann Zarco, Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaro enter.
In Formula 1 it is more difficult to find such equal salaries and there are even some paying drivers who get paid in kind, bringing in sponsors who pay their salary and to the brand for the seat they are in. After the top-3 previously exposed, there is a group of ‘first pilots’ who have salaries according to the brand in which they are.
Fernando Alonso He sacrificed quite a bit of money from his move from Alpine to Aston Martin, putting himself at 20 million. In that same ranking we find the number one of McLaren, Lando Norris, while Valtteri Bottas signed as leader of Alfa Romeo at a rate of 10 million.
That number, that of 10 million, is what the squires of the big firms charge. Carlos Sainz and Checo Pérez are in those numbers, while Mercedes’ second on paper George Russell pockets eight. At Alpine, Esteban Ocon -with six million- and Pierre Gasly -with five- have managed to free up a large wage bill at the French manufacturer.
payment pilots
The rest of the teams would already present more modest salary numbers with respect to the capos and, as we have said, It is due to the fact that many bring sponsors in exchange for their payroll. The lower class, in this case, earns exactly the same as the MotoGP middle class, leading the salaries of two million a year Lance Stroll (Aston Martin),
Nico Hulkenberg (Haas), Nyck De Vries (AlphaTauri), Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) and Oscar Piastri (McLaren).
The two drivers with the worst salary in Formula 1 are Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri) and Logan Sargeant (Williams)who will pocket just one million euros in the 2023 season. In MotoGP, on the other hand, there are up to 12 pilots who charge a million or less and they would be Alex Marquez, Jorge Martin, Miguel Oliveira, Takaaki Nakagami, Brad Binder, Enea Bastianini, Fabio di Giannantonio, Luca Marini, Darryn Binder, Marco Bezzecchi, Raul Fernandez and Remy Gardner.
Making the calculations in terms of total wage bill, we find that Formula 1 annually pays its pilots a figure of around 230 million euros, while MotoGP reaches 53 million in salaries. The differences are more than evident between one category and another, although everything is linked to the repercussions of each other and the show that takes place on the track.