F1 superstars Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc could cost $116,000,000 to Ferrari

Ferrari will reportedly pay Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc $116m per year for the next three seasons in salary. The British driver officially joined the Italian team on January 20 after first announcing the move last year in February that he would be leaving Mercedes after a 12-year partnership with the German brand.

Hamilton was originally offered only a 1+1 deal by the Brackley-based outfit in August 2023 but the seven-time F1 world champion decided to activate his release clause after the Maranello-based outfit came to him with a 2+1 deal in late 2023.

According to numbers collected by Sport&Finanza, Ferrari offered the 40-year-old a hefty salary of $50m per season with $20m in additional bonuses. The figure came on top of Charles Leclerc's new contract, which sees him race for them until the end of 2028, enabling him to earn around $34m per season with $12 in bonuses. Cumulatively, the duo could cost Ferrari a total of $116m per season in case all clauses are achieved.

If Lewis Hamilton honors his contract with the Italian team until the end of the 2027 season, he and his teammate Leclerc will cost Ferrari close to $400m. The whopping amount makes the driver lineup the highest paid on the current grid with Red Bull and McLaren following behind.

Ferrari team principal chimes in on Lewis Hamilton-Charles Leclerc lineup

Charles Leclerc celebrates with Frederic Vasseur in Parc Ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of United States - Source: Getty

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur stated that he believed that there would not be a clear No.1 between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in the team.

As per Express, the French team principal was adamant that both drivers would be given equal treatment similar to Leclerc and Sainz previously, saying:

“There is a clear situation, it’s the same everywhere – we have two very good drivers [Leclerc and Sainz] and both of them are able to do a job. We will have the capacity to provide them with the same car, the same structure, and the same support."

“There will be no number one and number two, but if at one stage we have to take action then we will take action. It doesn’t matter if it’s for one or the other, but if at one stage in the season we have to do something, then I will do it,” he added.

F1 commentator David Croft, on the other hand, while appearing on the Autosport Awards 2025, claimed that this year was the best chance for Lewis Hamilton to win his eighth title, adding:

“What I would say is this might be Lewis’ best chance of an eighth World title. Given the season that it could be in terms of teams won’t be throwing developments week after week after week. I do think Ferrari will be the most keen to get the most out of 2025 of the big four teams because it’s so long since they won something."

Lewis Hamilton has not won the driver's title since 2020 and has only managed to win two races in the current generation of cars ever since they were introduced in 2022.