According to Forbes’ 2025 list of the world’s highest-paid athletes, Max Vertsappen, our favourite flying Dutchman (well, Dutch-Belgian to be exact) is the second highest earning Formula 1 driver in the world, right below Lewis Hamilton.
The 27-year-old bagged a casual $78 million over the past 12 months — just $2 million shy of Hamilton.
Where’s all that money coming from? Unsurprisingly, the largest portion ($72 million) is thanks to his salary and bonuses from Red Bull, the Formula 1 team he’s been racing with since 2016.
The remaining $6 million? That’s from endorsements and commercial deals. Not a bad side hustle!
Finishing among the top 50
Verstappen’s success on the track has landed him in 24th place among 50 of the world’s highest-earning athletes.
This year, the bar to break into the top 50 has shot up — athletes needed to earn at least $53.6 million, a significant jump from last year’s $45.2 million (which, let’s be honest, still sounds like Monopoly money to most of us).
Add it all up, and the top 50 athletes pulled in a jaw-dropping $4.23 billion this year — up from $3.88 billion in 2024. Yes, billion with a B.
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So no, Max Verstappen isn’t number one — but 24th in the world and $78 million richer? That’s still a podium-worthy finish.
When did success hit?
Max Verstappen’s career didn’t just take off — it exploded onto the scene. He began his journey in Formula 1 in astonishing fashion, becoming the youngest person ever to compete in an F1 race at just 17 years old.
And he didn’t stop there — he made history again by becoming the youngest-ever F1 race winner at 18 years and 228 days old, claiming victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in 2016. Talk about an early bloomer.
What do you think, is Max Verstappen worth $78 million? Let us know in the comments!
