Max Verstappen earned an impressive $81 million last year.
Recently, there has been a growing discussion about the exorbitant salaries of Formula 1 drivers. Some teams have even proposed implementing a salary cap, similar to the driver salary cost cap. However, their suggestion seemed insignificant as two drivers secured positions on the list of the top 50 highest-paid athletes of 2024. Surprisingly, the current world champion was left out of the top 20.
Annually, Forbes publishes a list of the highest-paid athletes in the world. Soccer players traditionally dominate this highly anticipated list, and this trend continued in 2024. The highest-paid athlete, with earnings exceeding $260 million, was a soccer player.
However, Formula 1 drivers were not far behind the Portuguese legend. Max Verstappen ranked 17th on the list, accumulating an impressive total of $81 million. While the 26-year-old driver secured a spot in the top 20, fans noticed that he had surpassed Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion.
During the era of turbo hybrid engines, the 39-year-old British driver dominated Formula 1 in every aspect. However, since the introduction of new regulations, his luck has not been as favorable. Hamilton ranked 21st, with total earnings of $69 million.
Despite receiving a substantial salary from the team, there have been rumors that Verstappen is considering a move to another team on the grid. However, amidst all the speculation, he has consistently expressed his loyalty to Red Bull.
El ex piloto de Fórmula 1, Chandhok, presentó una sugerencia intrigante sobre el futuro de Verstappen en el deporte. El piloto indio cree que Verstappen debería permanecer en Red Bull la próxima temporada y tomar un año sabático en 2026, siguiendo los pasos de antiguos campeones mundiales. Chandhok cree que este cambio sacudiría significativamente la parrilla de la Fórmula 1 y podría ser una pérdida significativa para Red Bull.
Sin embargo, no hay certeza de que el actual campeón elegiría regresar a la Fórmula 1 si decidiera tomar un año sabático. Además, él ya ha mencionado anteriormente su interés en explorar otras formas de carreras cuando se retire del deporte. Si esta posibilidad se convierte en realidad, tendría un impacto profundo en el mundo de la Fórmula 1 y sería considerado un momento crucial en la extensa historia de la serie.
