💰 Formula 1’s 2026 salary ladder is wild: Max Verstappen is estimated to lead the grid at $70 million a year before bonuses and sponsorships. Lewis Hamilton sits just behind at roughly $60 million with Ferrari, while Charles Leclerc and George Russell are tied at an estimated $34 million each. Lando Norris rounds out the $30M-plus club at $30 million, followed by Fernando Alonso at $20 million. Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri are both estimated at $13 million, while Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and Lance Stroll sit together at $12 million. Further down the order, Sergio Pérez is listed at $8 million, with Nico Hülkenberg and Esteban Ocon at $7 million apiece. Isack Hadjar and Valtteri Bottas come in at $5 million, while Gabriel Bortoleto and Kimi Antonelli are estimated at $2 million. Oliver Bearman and Liam Lawson are each around $1 million, with Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad at roughly $500,000 to $1 million. The spread is enormous: Verstappen’s estimated base pay alone is around 70 times the $1 million f