THE 2022 F1 season is nearly upon us with the focus now finally on the new campaign.
Max Verstappen edged Lewis Hamilton to last year’s crown with a thrilling final-lap overtake in December.
Lewis Hamilton and F1 title rival Max Verstappen are in a different league for wages in 2022
After the controversy surrounding race director Michael Masi and the new changes brought in as a result, attention has now turned to pre-season testing and Bahrain.
The drivers had their first round of trying their new cars out in Barcelona at the end of February.
And Verstappen, 24, begins the defence of his maiden world title on March 20.
That will be his first race since signing a mega £37million-per-year new contract with Red Bull.
The new pay packet means he is just £3m behind his F1 rival Hamilton.
The seven-time world champ, 37, went silent after the Abu Dhabi drama which led to speculation he may quit the sport.
But he reported back for duty at Mercedes HQ last month to begin his preparations and is now raring to go.
And just like so often on the track, Hamilton and Verstappen are miles clear of the rest of the field when it comes to salaries too.
McLaren star Lando Norris comes in third after signing a new bumper four-year contract.
Norris, 22, will take home £10.5m per year – more than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren veteran Daniel Ricciardo (both £10.19m).
Ferrari ace Carlos Sainz and Aston Martin star Sebastian Vettel both earn £7.28m per year on their current deals.
Alpine’s legendary racer Fernando Alonso sits eighth with an annual salary of £6.55m.
Red Bull whiz Sergio Perez (£4.5m) and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon (£4m) complete the top ten.
Lando Norris has risen to third in the list of top-paid F1 stars after signing a new McLaren deal
