After 2024 saw zero rookies on the grid for the first time in F1’s history, 2025 will feature no less than six. Of course, they are not stars yet, which means they won’t be paid as much as the Hamiltons and Verstappens are. But still, it’s not going to be a bad payday for the rookies either, especially Kimi Antonelli and Gabriel Bortoleto.
The other first-timers on the 2025 grid will be Isack Hadjar, Jack Doohan, Liam Lawson, and Oliver Bearman. Except for Hadjar, the other three have already made their F1 debuts as replacements over the last two years.
Hadjar is set to earn between $500K and $1 million at RB after finishing P2 in the F2 championship last year, which Bortoleto had won. Doohan will also earn a similar figure at Alpine, according to RacingNews365. Shockingly, Lawson—the most experienced of the rookies, having competed in 11 races—will receive just $1 million from Red Bull. Bearman will earn the same.
Meanwhile, the big earners among the debutants will be Antonelli and Bortoleto, with both set to pocket $2 million each at Mercedes and Sauber, respectively. There’s a good reason they will earn a higher salary than the other four rookies.
F1 drivers can earn crazy salaries, and the 2025 season will be no exception! #F1https://t.co/O4OKIOpmvZ
— RacingNews365.com (@Racingnews365c) February 5, 2025
18-year-old Antonelli is the most hyped rookie, with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff having sung his praises for a while now, albeit with some caution. But with this hype comes a higher payday.
Bortoleto, on the other hand, will receive the same salary as the Italian due to his success on the track over the past couple of seasons.
After winning the F3 and F2 championships in consecutive seasons (2023 and 2024), he became only the fourth driver—after George Russell, Charles Leclerc, and Oscar Piastri—to achieve this feat. Both Sauber and Mercedes likely don’t mind offering a higher salary, expecting their drivers to justify the pay with strong performances on track.
This especially holds true for Mercedes, who will save a fortune thanks to Antonelli’s modest salary compared to Lewis Hamilton’s $45 million. Sauber will also save, though not nearly as much—just $3 million, as their total salary expenditure drops from $12 million last year to $9 million this year.
