What are the salaries of Formula 1 drivers?

(Patria) - The announcement that Lewis Hamilton will leave Mercedes at the end of the year and move to Ferrari has also stirred up the driver market.

An open spot in the prestigious Mercedes car is a huge challenge for most F1 drivers, and the fact that Carlos Sainz Junior is available - a driver with proven potential - could further complicate the situation, writes Index Auto.

Therefore, it is not surprising that teams have decided to give their best drivers generous salaries for long-term contracts, to prevent their potential departure.

Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris have profited the most, having signed extremely lucrative contracts to stay under the radar of Mercedes.

On the new salary list, which RacingNews365, as usual, obtains very well, it was revealed that Ferrari driver Leclerc will earn as much as 34 million euros this year, making him the third highest-paid driver behind the untouchable duo Verstappen - Hamilton.

Lando Norris will jump straight to fourth place with an annual salary of 20 million euros.

Incidentally, Max Verstappen remains the highest-paid driver, earning at least 55 million euros, while Mercedes will pay Hamilton as much as 45 million in the last year of his contract.

It is interesting to analyze the other salaries a bit. Sergio Perez - the world vice-champion and last year's double winner - is only 7th on the list.

French Alpine has decided to reward its drivers, who brought the team only two third places last year, with a salary of 6 million euros each.

Yuki Tsunoda and young Logan Sargeant will receive the least, "only" one million euros annually. Considering their marketing potential - as they are Japanese and American - they probably won't be starving.

Finally, let's mention one more thing: these are base salaries that do not include bonuses for wins and podiums, team results, or anything else. With that money, some drivers will earn significantly more.