This is what Formula One drivers will earn in 2022

The Formula One season officially kicked off yesterday in Bahrain. In the near future, the sound of screeching tires over the track will once again whiz through many ears. The paychecks of the best drivers do not detract from that. These are the five highest-paid Formula 1 drivers of 2022.Text: Patrick StofferThat millions go around in Formula 1 is no state secret. Drivers are richly rewarded for their performance and teams are only too happy to pay to bring in the best. Excluding bonuses and lucrative deals, these are the highest salaries in the world of Formula 1 for next season.

5. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren): €13.5 million

The Australian-Italian driver will once again race for car brand McLaren this year. Previously, he achieved seven victories for Red Bull Racing, for which he drove through 2018. Nowadays, McLaren will thus take Ricciardo under their wing, paying €13.5 million for it.

4. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin): €13.5 million

Germany's Sebastian Vettel became a Formula One world champion no less than four times. During these victories, he competed for Red Bull Racing. After Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher, he became the third driver to win four world titles in a row. In 2010 this victory earned him, at 23 years and 134 days, the title of youngest world champion ever. Next season, like Ricciardo, he can count on a salary of €13.5 million

3. Fernando Alonso (Alpine F1): €18 million

Spaniard Fernando Alonso became world champion in 2005 and 2006 in Formula One, where he competed for Renault. As a 24-year-old in 2005, Alonso became the youngest ever world champion. Three years he could enjoy the record, as it was broken in 2008 by Lewis Hamilton and in 2010 by Sebastian Vettel, who still holds the record.

Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing): €50 million

It is still fresh in everyone's mind: Max Verstappen becoming the first Dutchman ever to become Formula 1 world champion. The legendary day in Abu Dhabi brought him a lot of honor and certainly not a minus salary. For years, Verstappen has been driving for Red Bull Racing and this will earn him €31 million next season, not including bonuses and other lucrative deals.

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes): €36 million

The highest salary this year will be paid to Formula One icon Lewis Hamilton. For years the Brit has been driving Mercedes and loyalty is rewarded. The seven-time world champion has many titles to his name and is far and away at the top of the list with an annual salary of €36 million. This crowned him the big earner within Formula 1.