Max Verstappen will reportedly have to pay more than €1.2 million for the super license he needs to race again next year. The three-time world champion has won 19 of the 22 races in 2023 and, given that licenses increase in cost for every point a driver scores, the FIA will charge them a hefty fee.
Fortunately for Verstappen, next year's huge fee will not be paid by himself, as he revealed: “The team pays it, luckily.” He told Dutch broadcaster Viaplay: “I think there should be a normal relationship. But you know, things like that are written, and I don't think anyone expected that in the end we would score so many points.”
Red Bull is the only team to have confirmed it will pay Verstappen's super-licence fee and it is not known whether his teammate Sergio Perez or other drivers will have to pay theirs.
Verstappen finished the 2023 season with 575 points, the most points ever scored by a driver in a season. However, Verstappen's dominance has come at an exorbitant cost to the driver to ensure he can drive next year.
The Dutchman had already described the costs as “absurd” and added: “I don't think it's fair to have to pay so much. It's not like that in other sports either. And there are more and more competitions.”
Fortunately for Red Bull, driver salaries and compensation are not included in the FIA's budget cap, which ensures teams can limit expenses and offer a fairer picture to each team.
Team principal Christian Horner also told Viaplay: “I mean, it's a luxury problem to have, because we had to score the points to generate this figure. Luckily, it's not within the budget cap. But yes, it's a big check to be detached to the FIA”.
What is a Super License?
The FIA Super License is the highest type of license available and is a mandatory requirement for all drivers wishing to compete in Formula 1. The license is issued by F1's governing body, the FIA.
The Super License was first introduced in the 1990s, but a minimum age was added in 2015, following Verstappen's debut in 2015. Verstappen was 17 years and 166 days old when he made his F1 debut. The FIA added this rule to prevent potentially inexperienced drivers from competing in F1.
Photo by: Sutton Images
Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso
How do I get a Super License?
To obtain the Super License, drivers must meet a number of requirements, including being at least 18 years old at the time of their first F1 race, holding a valid driving license and passing an FIA theory test on the FIA's sporting codes and regulations. F1.
Those who have held a Super License in the previous three seasons can still apply for a new one if they intend to return to F1. This means that drivers such as Nyck De Vries, who was dropped by AlphaTauri in the first half of the 2023 season, could reapply for a superlicence and make his return to F1 in the coming years.
How much does a Super License cost?
The mandatory Super License reportedly costs a base sum of €10,400 which each driver must pay to ensure they can compete in the following season. There is also an additional cost of 2,100 euros for each point obtained in the past season.
How much will Verstappen have to pay for his Superlicense for 2024?
Verstappen has scored 575 points in the 2023 season, which entails an impressive additional cost for the drivers' Superlicense: each point obtained costs the driver an extra 2,100 euros. Having scored 575 points in 2023, the cost of Verstappen's Super License is €1,217,900.
How much will F1 drivers pay for their Super License for 2024?
Here's the full list of how much each driver will have to pay for their 2024 superlicense:
Name |
Points |
Total Cost |
Max Verstappen |
575 |
€1,217,900 |
Sergio Perez |
285 |
€608,900 |
Lewis Hamilton |
234 |
€501,800 |
Fernando Alonso |
206 |
€443,000 |
Charles Leclerc |
206 |
€443,000 |
Lando Norris |
205 |
€440,900 |
Carlos Sainz |
200 |
€430,400 |
George Russell |
175 |
€377,900 |
Oscar Piastri |
97 |
€214,100 |
Lance Stroll |
74 |
€165,800 |
Pierre Gasly |
62 |
€140,600 |
Esteban Ocon |
58 |
€132,200 |
Alex Albon |
27 |
€67,100 |
Yuki Tsunoda |
17 |
€46,100 |
Valtteri Bottas |
10 |
€31,400 |
Nico Hulkenberg |
9 |
€29,300 |
Daniel Ricciardo |
6 |
€23,000 |
Zhou Guanyu |
6 |
€23,000 |
Kevin Magnussen |
3 |
€16,700 |
Liam Lawson |
2 |
€14,600 |
Logan Sargeant |
1 |
€12,500 |
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