Formula 1 driver salaries dwarf NASCAR Cup Series driver salaries
Formula 1 drivers are the most talented race car drivers in the world, and they get paid big salaries because of it.
–by Mark Cipolloni–
You do not get into Formula 1 unless you have proven to be the best. And if you fail, the series quickly rejects you out. Only the best survive long-term.
While they may not admit it publicly, every race car driver would do anything to be an F1 driver given the high salaries F1 drivers are paid.
F1 drivers not only make the most money, they are more popular around the world than any other race car drivers.
F1 is a global series and gets 70 million TV viewers per race, which contributes to their popularity.
Top 5 Formula 1 vs NASCAR Driver Salaries
| Rank | F1 Driver | Annual F1 Salary + Bonuses | NASCAR Driver | Annual NASCAR Salary + Bonuses | F1 Amt. Over NASCAR Amt. |
| 1 | Max Verstappen | $70 million | Kyle Busch | $17 million | +$53 million |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | $45 million | Denny Hamlin | $10 million | +$35 million |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | $34 million | Kevin Harvick | $11 million | +$24 million |
| 4 | Lando Norris | $20 million | Martin Truex Jr. | $10 million | +$10 million |
| 5 | Fernando Alonso | $18 million | Brad Keselowski | $9.4 million | +$8.6 million |