UPDATE: Hey, all, for some more context, there seems to be a fair amount of dismissing of these numbers. I took them from Yahoo, which strikes me as pretty mainstream and reputable at this point (oh, how times change). They’re still fun to look at, but don’t consider these figures set in stone.
A list of Formula 1 drivers’ salaries is floating around today, and no surprise that Fernando Alonso tops the list with Lewis Hamilton a solid No. 2.
Perhaps some surprise who is at No. 3, unless you’ve been paying attention: Kimi Raikkonen. And Raikkonen’s continued payment pushes Ferrari’s driver costs through the roof.
Here they are, via Yahoo!
Drivers
1. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) £24.6m
2. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) £13.1m
3. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) £13.1m
4. Felipe Massa (Ferrari) £11.5m
5. Jenson Button (McLaren) £7.4m
6. Michael Schumacher (Mercedes GP) £6.6m
7. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes GP) £6.6m
8. Robert Kubica (Renault) £6.2m
9. Rubens Barrichello (Williams) £4.5m
10. Mark Webber (Red Bull) £3.4m
11. Jarno Trulli (Lotus) £2.5m
12. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) £1.6m
13. Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus) £1.6m
14. Timo Glock (Virgin) £820,000
15. Nico Hülkenberg (Williams) £573,000
16. Pedro de la Rosa (Sauber) £410,000
17. Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber) £410,000
18. Vitaly Petrov (Renault) £328,000
19. Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso) £328,000
20. Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso) £328,000
21. Adrian Sutil (Force India) £164,000
22. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India) £164,000
23. Lucas Di Grassi (Virgin) £164,000
24. Bruno Senna (Hispania) £164,000
25. Karun Chandhok (Hispania) Nil
26. Sakon Yamamoto (Hispania) NilTeams
1. Ferrari £49.1m
2. McLaren £20.5m
3. Mercedes GP £13.1m
4. Renault £6.5m
5. Red Bull £5.1m
6. Williams £5.1m
7. Lotus £4.1m
8. Virgin £983,000
9. Sauber £819,000
10. Toro Rosso £655,000
11. Force India £328,000
12. Hispania £123,000
You’ve probably noted that Raikkonen and Hamilton effectively make the same. No real clarity on why Lewis is getting listed above Kimi.
Here are a few other important details, too:
Surprisingly championship leader Mark Webber comes in at 10th – his salary is £3.5m – while highly-rated team-mate and title hopeful Sebastian Vettel will only see £1.6m basic for his work this season, an amount which puts him 12th in the 26-man list.
However both Red Bull drivers are understood to be on substantial bonuses for race victories, of which Webber has recorded four and Vettel two so far this season.
No wonder those guys were willing to force each other off the track, huh?
A few things that jump out at me:
Adrian Sutil is going to demand a raise. That might play more into his future negotiations with Force India (or another team) than getting in a faster car. I bet the Kamui and Hulkenberg salaries will have Adrian playing the blues on the nearest piano.
Petrov getting a salary also is not what I’d have thought.
Lotus’ drivers are doing pretty well, huh? We might have a little more sense of why Timo Glock isn’t a happy camper.
Other surprises?
