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F1 is a multi-millionaire sport, and an exclusive number of racers make millions per year. The atmosphere among the drivers is also highly competitive, and rivalry between racers can last for decades. Eddie Irvine, for example, stills talking about his fights with Ayrton Senna. Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton are also an example of the most recent rivalry in the sport.
Unsurprisingly, being among the highest-earning F1 runners is not easy. It takes lots of hard work, dedication, and talent. Curious? Here is a list of the wealthiest F1 drivers in the world.
Nico Rosberg - $50,000,000
Most of the drivers in this list are from Germany. Nico Rosberg is one of them. The retired F1 racer has a net worth $50 million. During the best moments of his career, he had a $16 million salary. He worked for the giants Williams F1 and Mercedes AMG Petronas. Rosberg started competing on Formula One World Championship in 2006 and he kept running for ten years.
"Going out on a high has been beautiful and so powerful - I'm still carried by it now," Rosberg told The Telegraph.
David Coulthard - $80.000.000
David Coulthard is a former British F1 driver and he has an $80 million net worth. He started racing when he was just eleven years old and he joined F1 in 1994. Coulthard had huge contracts with Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull. He is a director at film and TV production company Whisper.
"When the rain and the mist comes down at Suzuka, I don't miss driving a bit," he told BuzzMag. "But like any sportsman will tell you, talking about the sport is just not the same as doing it. But I had my time. I had amazing memories, worked with some wonderful people, made some very special friends. Nothing can go on forever."
Ralf Schumacher - $100.000.000
Ralf Schumacher shows that talent runs in the family. The retired German driver is the brother of the legendary Michael Schumacher and also made a fortune racing. Ralf has a net worth evaluated at $100 million. According to Forbes, he made $121 million racing. Like other names on this list, he started racing when he was a child.
In 2013, Ralf announced he would retire, but he stills working behind the scenes on managing roles on Mucke Motorsport. "I've been thinking a great deal about my future during the last few weeks and have reached the conclusion that I am better able to support the extensive changes at Mercedes-Benz with regard to the DTM in a management role than at the wheel," Ralf said.
Eddie Irvine - $120.000.000
Eddie Irvine has a $120 million net worth. The British racer felt in love with F1 when he was a child, and his parents took him to watch the British Grand Prix. His father also enjoyed racing, but it was just fun. Eddie started his career in 1983, and he retired in 2002.
Irvine is very confident about his talent. "I think apart from Schumacher, there weren't many people out there who were better than me," he said on BBC. "Schumacher was just another world."
Sebastian Vettel - $120.000.000
Sebastian Vettel has $120 million. According to Forbes, he earned $358 million during his career. The German racer started his career in 1995 and in 2001 Vittel won the Junior Monaco Kart Cup. In 2016, he was the highest-earning F1 driver in the world and had a $50 million annual contract with Ferrari.
Vettel teamed up with Ferrari in 2015 and he has a contract with them until 2020, but he didn't win a world title since then. However, he is one of the few racers who won four titles in history.
Jenson Button - $150 million
The British F1 racer Jenson Button has a $150 million net worth and earns $16.5 million per year. He started racing when he was eight years old, and his debut as an F1 Driver was with Willimas in 2000. In 2006 he won his first Grand Prix.
In 2017, he thought about quitting his career after this father death. "I've still got an option to race next year, but I've done my time in Formula One," he says. "I've been traveling with the circus for 17 years, and it's enough for me."
Kimi Raikkonen - $180.000.000
The most prominent Finnish racing driver has a $180 million net worth. Kimmi Raikkonen has received the nickname of Iceman thanks to his cold and straight forward attitude during the races and interviews.
In 2018, he announced he would leave Ferrari and joined Sauber. "I am actually very happy where I am going, and we'll see how it turns out to be, it is impossible to say now," Raikkonen said during an interview. "Many stories in the past, suggesting that it is not going to be good. It's not that guaranteed, but hopefully, we will have a good go."
Fernando Alonso - $240.000.000
Fernando Alonso is a Spanish racer who has a $240 million net worth and he has a $40 million annual salary. He is one of the most talented drivers of his generation and made his fortune driving for Minardi, Renault, McLaren, and Ferrari. Part of his fortune also comes from endorsement contracts.
Alonso started racing in karts when he was only three years old. In 2005, when he was 24 years old, he became the youngest racer to win a One World Driver's Championship. He is also an Ambassador for UNICEF.
Lewis Hamilton - $285.000.000
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Lewis Hamilton has a $285 million fortune. He won five titles since he entered the F1 in 2007. Hamilton got his first F1 World Championship in 2008 when he left Felipe Massa behind. During his career, Hamilton made nearly $500 million, more than the legendary Michael Schumacher. At least $50 million of his fortune comes from endorsement contracts for brands like Tommy Hilfiger.
Unlike many other F1 drivers, Hamilton is also famous for ganging around with A-list celebrities like Neymar, the Kardashians, and Justin Bieber.
Michael Schumacher - $600.000.000
Michael Schumacher has a $600 million net worth and he is probably the most legendary F1 driver of all time. The German racer won the Formula One World Championship seven times between 1994 and 2004.
He started his career in 1991, during the Belgian grand pix. In 1996 he joined Ferrari, where he lived the best moments of his career. In 12014, he suffered a severe accident while skiing in the French Alps. His family doesn't release information about his recovery and there are very few official updates about his health.