Red Bull Faces Brutal $1 Million Reality Check Because of Max Verstappen’s Record-breaking 2023 Season

Max Verstappen had one of the most dominant-ever runs in a single F1 season last year. The Dutchman broke innumerable records along the way and gathered a whopping 575 points. That is now going to pinch Red Bull as the super license fees for the 2024 season have been released. The super license fees vary from driver to driver, depending largely on the points they scored in the previous year. Verstappen, who topped the charts, will have to shell out a staggering €1,217,900 ($1,330,000 approx.) to participate in the 2024 season.

For context, Logan Sargeant, who finished the season last in the standings with just one point will pay just €12,500 ($13,650 approx.). Super license, simply put, is the license to race in Formula 1.

The FIA hands them out before each season to the drivers eligible to race in F1. However, it does not mean that every driver who owns a super license will race in the forthcoming season. It is only the drivers who are part of the participating teams’ lineups that compete.

As bizarre as it looks, the driver with the most points in the previous season pays more for the next season’s super license. However, there is also a base fee that every eligible driver needs to pay. That base fee amounts to €10,400 ($11,350). The floating fee decided on the basis of points comes to €2,100 ($2,290) per point.

However, it is not just money that gets a driver their super license. There is an extensive criteria that every candidate must fulfill before applying for the license to race in F1.

Those conditions include passing physical and mental tests, possessing prior experience in other motor racing disciplines, meeting the minimum age requirement (18 years), and nationality. The minimum age requirement was added after Verstappen made his debut at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix with Toro Rosso when he was just 17.

How much will other drivers pay for their F1 Super License?

Sergio Perez had a far worse season than Max Verstappen as he scored less than half of his Red Bull teammate’s points. His 285 points means that his super license fees cost approximately €608,900 ($665,000 approx.).

However, neither driver needs to worry about shelling out the exorbitant amounts from their own pockets as their team will bear that expense. Similarly, Mercedes will pay €501,800 ($548,000 approx.) for Lewis Hamilton’s super license fee.

The Briton scored 234 points in 2023 to secure the third position in the standings. His teammate, George Russell, scored 175 points to secure the eighth position. As a result, the 25-year-old’s super license fee comes to €377,900 ($412,000 approx.).

Max Verstappen thinks that the fees drivers need to pay for their superlicense are “absurd”. Each championship point costs €2,100, so technically it is in the #FIA‘s interest to add as many races and sprints as possible, as they earn north of €210k per regular race weekend. #F1 pic.twitter.com/TwIe0vCKvi

— Simon Dau (@there_is_no_if) February 13, 2023

Meanwhile, Aston Martin will shell out €443,000 ($484,000 approx.) for the 206 points that Fernando Alonso scored to finish fourth position in the standings. The Spaniard scored the same number of points as Charles Leclerc (fifth in the standings). Therefore, Ferrari will pay the same amount for the Monegasque.

About the author

Nischay Rathore

Nischay Rathore is an F1 journalist at The SportsRush with over a thousand articles under his belt. An avid Ayrton Senna admirer, Nischay embarked on his sports journalism journey despite completing graduation in Law. When not covering the high-speed thrills of the pinnacle of motorsport, he can be seen enjoying crime thrillers and 90s gangster movies with a hearty bowl of buttery popcorn.

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