Formula 1 drivers, among the highest earners in global sport, are facing a significant annual deduction from their multi-million pound salaries due to a unique and costly regulatory requirement. The FIA's super license fee system for the 2026 season has resulted in staggering bills for the sport's most successful competitors, with some required to pay over £880,000 simply to race.
The Mechanics of the Million-Pound Race Tax
The system operates on a two-tier structure. Every driver must first pay a base fee of approximately £10,250 to renew their essential racing license for the forthcoming championship. However, the substantial cost comes from a performance-linked surcharge. The FIA imposes an additional fee of £2,070 for every single championship point a driver scored in the previous season. This creates a direct financial penalty for on-track success, making a championship challenge exponentially more expensive the following year.
The Top Performers Pay a Premium
This points-based levy has created enormous invoices for 2025's highest scorers. Reigning champion Max Verstappen and McLaren star Lando Norris, who each amassed over 420 points last season, are now looking at total bills exceeding £880,000. For these elite drivers, the cost of competing has become a major line item, effectively taxing their previous year's achievements.
The system also delivers a sharp financial shock to impressive newcomers. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, in his debut season, scored a remarkable 150 points—just six fewer than the legendary driver he replaced. Consequently, the Italian teenager must find over £320,000 to secure his license for his sophomore campaign in 2026.
Hamilton's Ferrari Fee and the Base-Rate Drivers
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, following his much-publicised move to Ferrari, will pay a fee reflecting his 2025 points haul of 156. His total comes to roughly £330,000 for the 2026 super license. While a colossal sum by most standards, it is notably lower than those of his top-tier rivals, highlighting the financial impact of a season that fell short of a title challenge.
At the other end of the scale, drivers who failed to score any points will pay only the minimum. Alpine's Franco Colapinto, on his return to the grid, faces just the base fee of £10,250. He is joined at this rate by experienced hands Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, who also scored zero points in 2025, and Racing Bulls newcomer Arvid Lindblad. For them, the FIA's system represents a relative bargain, albeit one that underscores a lack of competitive results.
This controversial funding model continues to be a major talking point in the F1 paddock, directly linking a driver's financial outlay to their sporting performance and creating one of the world's most exclusive—and expensive—annual permits.
