How much does Kimi Antonelli earn? The F1 leader makes a fraction of his Mercedes teammate’s salary
Kimi Antonelli is delivering outstanding results in the 2026 season, but his salary remains far below those of Formula 1’s biggest stars. We look at how much the Mercedes driver earns and how his pay compares with George Russell’s.
Kimi Antonelli is one of the biggest sensations of the current Formula 1 season. The 20-year-old Italian leads the drivers’ standings and is fighting for the world championship, yet his salary is far from being among the highest on the grid. According to industry estimates, Mercedes pays him around $2 million per year in base salary. That is about 17 times less than his teammate George Russell is believed to earn.
How much does Kimi Antonelli earn at Mercedes?
Formula 1 driver contracts are confidential, so teams do not officially publish salary figures. Industry estimates suggest, however, that Kimi Antonelli’s base salary for the 2026 season is around $2 million per year.
Importantly, that figure does not include performance bonuses paid by the team or income from personal sponsorship deals. Antonelli’s actual annual earnings may therefore be higher, but details of his bonus structure are not publicly known.
His base salary alone works out at roughly $166,000 per month. That is an impressive amount for a 20-year-old, but by Formula 1 standards it still places Antonelli much closer to the younger drivers than the sport’s biggest stars.
George Russell earns many times more
The comparison with Mercedes’ other driver is particularly striking.
Industry estimates put George Russell’s annual salary at around $34 million, which would be roughly 17 times Antonelli’s base pay.
The gap is even larger compared with some of the highest-paid drivers on the grid:
- Max Verstappen – around $70 million per year
- Lewis Hamilton – around $60 million
- Charles Leclerc – around $34 million
- George Russell – around $34 million
- Lando Norris – around $30 million
- Kimi Antonelli – around $2 million
The difference is huge, especially when current sporting results are taken into account.
He earns $2 million and leads the championship
Antonelli currently sits first in the 2026 F1 drivers’ standings with 340 points. George Russell is second with 238, giving the young Italian a lead of 102 points.
So far this season, Antonelli has won races including China, Japan, Miami, Canada, Monaco, Belgium, Italy and Spain. He has also added several other podium finishes, including third place at the Singapore Grand Prix.
That creates an unusual situation: the driver currently leading Formula 1 on points is also among the significantly lower-paid drivers on the grid.
Why does Kimi Antonelli earn relatively little?
The main reason is the stage of his career.
Antonelli only entered Formula 1 in 2025 as one of the youngest drivers in the history of the championship. Mercedes had previously developed him through its junior programme, and his current contract was agreed before it became clear just how quickly he would start fighting for wins and potentially the title.
F1 salaries reflect not only current performance, but also experience, negotiating power and the timing of a contract.
George Russell has several more Formula 1 seasons behind him and a much longer history with Mercedes. Antonelli is still building his position, and the 2026 season could completely change his value ahead of future negotiations.
Antonelli may be F1’s biggest financial bargain
When salary is compared with results, it is difficult to find a more extreme case on the current grid.
Antonelli is estimated to earn the same base salary as Gabriel Bortoleto and only around twice as much as Oliver Bearman, whose base pay is estimated at roughly $1 million. At the same time, the Italian is fighting for the championship with one of the most powerful teams in Formula 1.
From Mercedes’ perspective, that currently represents an exceptionally favourable balance between cost and performance.
It is difficult, however, to imagine this situation continuing for many years.
Kimi Antonelli’s salary could rise sharply
Antonelli’s future at Mercedes appears stable. The Italian is expected to remain with the team for the 2027 season.
Mercedes has already made it clear that it wants to continue working with both Antonelli and Russell.
If Antonelli finishes the 2026 season as champion or maintains his current form, his negotiating position could change dramatically. A driver leading the championship and regularly winning races is unlikely to remain for long on a salary more typical of someone only beginning their F1 career.
How much could Kimi Antonelli really earn?
For now, the safest figure to use is around $2 million per year in base salary.
However, the following details are not publicly known:
- bonuses for race wins,
- podium bonuses,
- bonuses linked to championship position,
- a possible title-winning bonus,
- Antonelli’s personal advertising and sponsorship contracts.
That means the $2 million figure should not be treated as a complete picture of his income.
The most surprising comparison remains the sporting one. A driver estimated to earn 17 times less than his teammate currently holds a lead of more than 100 points over him in the world championship. If Antonelli finishes the season in similar form, negotiations over his next salary could look very different.