"From my side, it's completely wrong" - Max Verstappen disagrees with salary cap, claims drivers 'actually bring the show and put their lives at risk’

Max Verstappen believes capping driver salaries is unfair, given the sport’s growing popularity and revenue. The Dutchman feels that the drivers contribute to the growth of the sport and, hence, do not deserve a cut in their salaries.

Speaking in the driver’s press conference ahead of the Azerbaijan GP, the reigning world champion said:

“It’s still all a bit vague as well, right? I mean, I think no one really knows where it’s going to go. But from my side, it’s completely wrong. Because I think at the moment F1 is becoming more and more popular and everyone is making more and more money, including the teams, Formula 1 - everyone is benefiting. So, why should the drivers, with their IP rights and everything, be capped, [drivers] who actually bring the show and put their lives at risk? Because we do, eventually. So, for me, it’s completely wrong.”

The sport introduced budget caps for teams in 2020 citing the global economic meltdown and the pandemic, with the aim of leveling the playing field and giving smaller teams an advantage. A cap on driver salaries is being considered and has received negative feedback from all drivers.

One must, however, take into consideration that Max Verstappen is officially the highest-paid driver in F1 after he signed with Red Bull again. The Dutchman has struck a lucrative deal with the Austrian team, earning him €50 million a year until 2028.

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Max Verstappen believes driver salary cap could impact investments in junior categories of racing

Apart from the driver salary cap affecting the current flock of F1 drivers, the Dutchman believes it would have a domino effect in the junior categories of the sport. Max Verstappen explained that many sponsor-backed junior drivers have clauses in their contracts, stating that the sponsors will receive a percentage of the driver's future income if they reach F1. However, a cap on salaries might eliminate that backing as a result of a poor return of investment.

He explained:

“In all the junior categories, if you see how many of those drivers have a sponsor or backer, who eventually will have a certain percentage of their income in potentially Formula 1 or whatever, I think it’s going to limit that a lot, because they will never get their return, in money, if you get a cap. So it will hurt all the junior categories as well. And I don’t think you would want that.”

Other drivers have also found the driver salary cap to be an unnecessary regulation as the sport and teams contemplate the introduction of the rule.