F1 Teams May Spend a Whopping $159,000 on Their Drivers Accommodation Over the 24-Race Calendar

Drivers and teams travel all around the world to participate in the F1 races. The number of those races over a season has gone up to 24. As the number of circuits participating in the championship increases, so does the logistics cost. A hearty chunk of those logistics costs comes down to the drivers’ accommodation. As per F1 photojournalist, Kym Illman, that amount can go up to a whopping $159,050.

Illman did an estimate on the hotels drivers stay at during a Grand Prix weekend. The amount he finally arrived at is just an estimate given several variables. Those can range from drivers choosing different hotels to the number of days they stay before or after the Grand Prix weekend.

As per Illman, the teams usually book one hotel for the entire crew to stay. Drivers, however, more often than not, end up staying at different, more luxurious hotels.

In the list summarized by the senior Australian journalist, the Four Seasons hotel in Mexico trumps them all. During the Grand Prix weekend, including the extra days a driver might stay for, it can cost a team an eye-watering $14,000.

One of the reasons why the accommodation costs reach such astronomical heights is Formula 1 itself. Illman reveals how the per-night charges can be as low as half when the Grand Prix weekend is not on. Banking on the yearly event’s popularity and the influx of fans from around the globe, hotels can end up hiking the charges by a lot.

The hotels F1 drivers chose in Miami and their accommodation plan for Imola

Keeping with the popularity of the Miami GP and its hype among the A-listers, teams pay a premium for drivers’ accommodation. As per Kym Illman, most drivers stay at Hotel Setai. A five-night stay for one driver can cost as much as $6,500. Surprisingly, that is comparatively reasonable for what the teams pay for the accommodations in other parts of the world.

Setai Residence Miami- serving views pic.twitter.com/ZuUdvrUuSj

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Imola again, despite being a cult favorite among the fans, especially the Tifosi, is among the cheapest for the drivers to stay at. Some prefer to stay in motorhomes that are parked in close proximity to the circuit under heavy security. Others might go for Varignana Palace Resort, which can cost $4,800.

The one after that, the legendary Monaco GP is a bit of a relief for both drivers and the teams. That is because most of them are residents of the Principality.

Most drivers prefer to stay at their homes during the Grand Prix weekend which also saves money for the teams. Others, however, might choose a hotel like the Columbus which is partly owned by David Coulthard. A stay there can cost as much as $8,000.