No credit crisis for F1 drivers
With Abu Dhabi set to close the 2009 F1 season, a local online newspaper has taken the opportunity to reveal a highly guarded secret: F1 drivers' salaries.
Issued on: Modified:
Jealously guarded from public attention, F1 drivers' salaries in 2009 have been revealed by an Emirates online newspaper. Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen tops the list, earning 45 million dollars. In second position, 2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton with 18 million dollars a year.
F1 expert and author of a biography of Ayrton Senna, Tom Rubython conducted the survey. In the article, he explains that "these figures are just basic salaries, and don’t include sponsorship and other income, which can often be three times that amount".
Four of the top names have no set salary due to “rent a drive” contracts – Kazuki Nakajima, Romain Grossjean, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Force India's Adrian Subtil.
Driver salaries for 2009 revealed by Arabian Business.com :
1. Kimi Raikkonen $45m
2. Lewis Hamilton $18m
3. Fernando Alonso $15m
4. Nico Rosberg $8.5m
5. Jarno Trulli $6.5m
6. Sebastian Vettell $6m
7. Mark Webber $5.5m
8. Jenson Button $5m
9. Robert Kubica $4.5m
10. Heiki Kovaleinen $3.5m
11. Nick Heidfeld $2.8m
12. Timo Glock $2m
13. Giancarlo Fisichella $1.5m
14. Sebastien Buemi $1.5m
15. Rubens Barrichello $1m
16. Jaime Alguersuari $0.5m
17. Vitantonio Liuzzi [Rent a driver]
18. Adrian Sutil [Rent a driver]
19. Romain Grossjean [Rent a driver]
20. Kazuki Nakajima [Rent a driver]
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