🏎️ The Lucrative Crop of British Formula 1 Drivers

The Formula 1 Season starts this weekend and Bahrain and one look at the current roster of drivers will tell you that the future for British F1 looks pretty strong:

• George Russell, 26, Mercedes, Race Wins: 1

• Lando Norris, 24, Mclaren, Race Wins: 0

• Lewis Hamilton, 39, Mclaren, Race Wins: 103 😮‍💨

George Russell and Lando Norris made their debut on the same day at the 2019 Australian Grand Prix. Norris was driving for McLaren at the time. Russell was driving for Williams.

Four years later they enter the F1 season in strong positions having both secured lucrative multi-year contracts with their respective teams.

In August 2023, George Russell signed a two year extension to his Mercedes contract keeping him with the Silver Arrows through the 2024 and the 2025 F1 seasons.

Salary details were not released but many estimate that George will see his salary double from £7m to c.£14m per season under the new arrangement.

Never in the history of F1 has a driver in the fifth season with only 1 race win been able to command such a salary, it is truly amazing.

George Russell

• Race wins: 1

• Age: 26

• Expected Salary in 2024: £14,000,000

What’s interesting with George is many people do not like him.

The common criticism is that he comes across whiny, entitled and brattish. All of which have some truth to it! This maybe explains why his sponsorship roster is a little thin.

He has some deals with Alpine Stars, Bell Helmets and Puma but that’s about it.

It’s in this area where good friend and fellow competitor Lando Norris starts to separate himself.

Lando is younger, more talented and perceived to be more likeable than George.

In 2022, he signed a four year deal with McLaren which saw him under contract until the end of the 2025 season.

Last summer, he signed a “multi-year extension” on that deal which now reportedly pays him £17m per season.

Again, a 24yo driver with 0 race wins making this much money is unheard of! But such is the landscape and the talent on offer at the moment in the field of F1.

Lando Norris

• Race wins: 0

• Age: 26

• Expected Salary: £17,000,000

Lando is also building a healthy off-track life too at a young age.

He frequently streams on Twitch with 1.6m followers over there and is the owner of Team Quadrant. An e-sports team which creates content and sells apparel.

There are no firm details on the length of Lando’s contract or the salary but Lando is the more prized asset of the two and is treated as such by his employer.

Lewis Hamilton is in a different stratosphere to both of them.

Lewis Hamiltong

• Race wins: 103

• Age: 39

• Expected Salary: £45,000,000

Lewis has been making more than £40m a season for at least 7 years and rumours suggest his new deal at Ferrari could see his salary double in the twilight years of his career.

Mental.

But stay tuned for more details on Lewis. Next week, we do a complete deepdive into the business of Lewis Hamilton, covering his:

• Salaries (past, present and future)

• Sponsors

• His many investments

• His move to Ferrari

There will be a YouTube video accompanying it too!

I haven’t forgetten Alex Albon btw. The Williams driver is under contract until the end of 2025 on a reported £2m per season

Every time I see him, he speaks well and this interview of his is particularly engaging.

See you next week for the Lewis deepdive.

Salute.