Formula 1

This is how much money a Formula 1 driver makes for winning a race: Points by position explained

It’s a sport for the super rich, they say, and F1 certainly carries a reputation of being flush with money and lavish lifestyles.

RUDY CAREZZEVOLI | AFP

Paul Rudder

A former soccer player who now lives and works in Barcelona, Paul has been living in Spain since 2011. Ten years later in 2021 is when he joined the Diario AS family and he's been churning out articles about sports ever since. When not working, Paul enjoys hanging with his friends or playing soccer with his team. Aside from those two, he's also a person who loves learning about history, culture, human behavior and the way in which it's affected by the other two. He continues to look for opportunities to grow both mentally and professionally.

Update: May 4th, 2025 03:47 EDT

With the 2025 Formula 1 season underway, it’s as good a time as any to take a look at the points system in the fast-paced sport and, moreover, what kind of cash drivers make when they win a race. We’ve seen the multi-million-dollar contracts of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton with Red Bull and Mercedes respectively, but what about the winnings from the race itself? Let’s find out.

The points system in Formula 1

From the blistering speed, to the celebrity fans, to the glamour, glory and, of course, the champagne, Formula 1 is many things. Yet, when all is said and done, it’s truly about winning points. Indeed, it’s points that lift a team from ‘promising’ to victorious and drivers from ‘talented’ to legendary. With that in mind, here’s a look at how points will be awarded in the 2025 season so that you clearly understand what it takes to win a World Championship in Motorsports premium event. To be clear, as many as 26 points are available to the winner of a Grand Prix, including 25 points for winning. See below for the details:

F1 points in 2025

Position	Points Received
1st	25
2nd	18
3rd	15
4th	12
5th	10
6th	8
7th	6
8th	4
9th	2
10th	1

How much money do Formula 1 drivers receive?

Before we get into the winnings that drivers take home, it’s important to understand a few things about Formula 1. Firstly, there is the total pot size, which is generated by various things, but in principle, TV rights and the race fees that individual teams pay. Then we also have to consider the distribution of these funds. The amount of money a team receives can vary greatly depending on their performance during the season.

To put this in perspective, MClaren’s win as constructors champion in 2024 saw them take home $161 million, while last placed Sauber - took home $69 million for finishing last, which, as you can see was less than half of Mercedes’ winnings.

Our points scorers in Bahrain 👏👏#F1 #BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/9pecImqKru
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 13, 2025

Now, where drivers themselves are concerned, it’s important to understand that, as we just established above, the winnings per race go to the team across the season. In terms of what drivers receive, that figure is based on the contract they signed. While there may be bonuses involved per race, that is once again based on the nature of the contract they agreed to with their team.

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If you missed our report on current salaries amongst Formula 1 drivers, be sure to check it out, but ultimately the point remains the same: It’s more about the team when it comes to earnings from races than it is about the driver.

Overall, salaries for F1 drivers range from about $1 million to an impressive $65 million.