Million-euro super license bills await F1's top drivers

(GMM) The FIA’s super license fees for 2026 are pushing the sport’s biggest names past the million-euro mark.

Every F1 driver must renew a super license annually, and the cost is tied directly to World Championship points scored the previous season. The structure is simple but brutal – a base fee of EUR 11,842, plus 2,392 for every point earned.

For reigning world champion Lando Norris, after scoring 423 points in 2025, the McLaren driver faces a bill just north of a million euros – the highest on the grid.

Max Verstappen is close behind at EUR 1,018,874, following his own 421-point season. Verstappen still holds the all-time record, having paid more than EUR 1.2 million for his license in 2024 after his extraordinary 575-point haul the year before.

Oscar Piastri narrowly misses the million-euro threshold, with his 2025 tally translating to a EUR 999,562 fee.

The payments are levied by the FIA, and while the sums look eye-watering, it is believed the teams cover the costs in most cases. Super license fees are also excluded from Formula 1’s budget cap, meaning development programs are not directly affected by a successful season.

Drivers like George Russell (EUR 774,890) and Charles Leclerc (590,706) still face hefty bills, while veterans with quieter seasons, including Lewis Hamilton (384,994) and Fernando Alonso (145,794), sit well below the top tier.