Here's who's making what in Formula One

I wrote an item the other day about the poor pay of people driving in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

The guy who runs Newman-Haas Racing said – and this is a quote: “The drivers are being paid very little, if anything.”

Imagine how many of them are feeling today after they’ve seen what their open-wheel, open-cockpit compatriots in Formula One are making.

Millions and millions and millions of dollars.

Now, we always knew the absolute top guys in F1 were making money that was right off the charts. The Prosts, the Sennas and the Schumachers (when he was at the top of his game).

Those guys.

But how about Kimi Raikkonen pulling in 13 million pounds-plus?

What’s that you say? Kimi isn’t even in F1 and he’s third on the money list?

Yep. He’s got one of those deferred wage contracts and he’s being paid a fortune not to drive in F1 this year and that’s why he’s over in the World Rally Championship and not doing very well.

Everybody knows the NASCAR drivers are all millionaires – I always loved this quote from Ryan Newman, as he explained how easy it would be to get to a mid-week exhibition race:: “We've all got planes.”

So here’s the rundown as to who is earning what in F1, as reported by the Spanish newspaper, El Mundo:

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Note: A pound sterling today is equal to $1.63 Canadian:

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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 (pay driver)

26. Sakon Yamamoto (Hispania) Nil (pay driver)

Team Budgets (operating expenses)

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

Comments

[Bill Taylor]

So Bruno Senna's paycheque is actually bigger than his team's operating budget? I think I see an accounting problem here. Does Hispania rely on Chandhok and Yamamoto to make up the shortfall? These two guys may find it more economical -- but, heavens to betsy, certainly no less challenging!! -- to try Formula Ford...

[John Eatoo]

Team budget figures are wrong. Teams in F1 have budgets in excess of $40 million. The bigger teams would be around $100 million or over.