Double World Champion Max Verstappen has discovered that in Formula 1 success comes at a cost, quite literally!
Following the Dutchman’s sensational 2022 campaign, where he broke the record for most wins and most points scored in a season, the 25-year-old has been slapped with the biggest entry fee in the history of the sport: €963,800.
Given that he claimed 15 wins and 454 points, the huge fee shouldn’t be a huge surprise; however, it does raise an interesting topic in the sport.
To determine a driver’s fee to renew their FIA Super Licence for a new season at the pinnacle of motorsport, the governing body uses the equation of €10,400, plus an additional €2,100 per point scored in the previous campaign.
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Effectively, the better the season, the higher the cost, something which has resulted in a huge spread in how much each driver is having to pay to enter the sport for the forthcoming season.
Whilst Verstappen is having to pay almost a million euros to enter, all the rookies except Nyck de Vries are having to pay just the €10,400.
Due to having scored points at the Italian Grand Prix last season, De Vries is having to pay €14,600.
Verstappen’s hefty fee is over €300,000 more than Charles Leclerc’s, with the Monegasque having finished second last season.
The Red Bull star believes what the FIA charges is “absurd” and not “right”, with the driver believing that Formula 1 drivers are charged more to enter than “other sports”.
“I think the amount is absurd,” said Verstappen, as per Motorsport-Total.com.
“I don’t think it’s right that we have to pay so much.
“That’s not the case in other sports either. And there are more and more races.”
The only positive for Verstappen, is that he won’t have to pay his entry fee for 2023, with Red Bull having the unwanted honours.
It’s believed to be in the Dutchman’s contract that Red Bull pay for his Super Licence, with Sergio Pérez reportedly having the same.
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Pérez’s entry fee isn’t quite as big as his team-mates, with the Mexican’s being €650,900.
Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko revealed that Red Bull will be paying the fee, unfortunately!
“I’m afraid we have to pay that, if I have our contract right in my head,” Marko stated.