Max Verstappen, who clinched the Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship for a third consecutive year in 2023, will reportedly face a fee exceeding €1.2 million for the FIA Super Licence required for next year’s competition.
After an exceptional season, winning the majority of races, the cost for the Super Licence has skyrocketed due to a rule that increases fees with each point scored. This has led to an unusually high charge from the governing body.
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Fortunately, the burden of this substantial fee will not fall on the driver personally. In an interview with a Dutch broadcaster, he disclosed that the team he represents will cover the cost, providing some relief amidst this financial surprise: “The team pays that, fortunately.”
He added: “I do think there should be some normal ratio in that. But you know, things like that get written down, and I don’t think anybody expected that there would end up being that many points scored.”
Red Bull has confirmed they will cover the Super Licence fee for their championship-winning driver. Still, it remains unclear whether this arrangement extends to his teammate, Sergio Perez, or if other teams do this for their drivers.
Max ended the 2023 season with a record-breaking 575 points, the highest ever achieved in a single season. Despite this remarkable achievement, it has resulted in an exceptionally high Super Licence fee for the upcoming year.
The Dutch racer has previously criticised these escalating costs as “absurd,” expressing his views in further comments: “I don’t think it’s right that we have to pay so much. It’s not the case in other sports either. And there are more and more races.”
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Luckily for Red Bull, driver salaries and associated fees fall outside the scope of the FIA’s budget cap. This regulation aims to curb excessive spending and promote a more balanced competitive environment among the teams.
Red Bull’s team principal shared additional insights on this topic in an interview with Viaplay: I mean, it’s a luxury problem to have because we’ve had to score the points to generate the invoice. Thankfully, it’s outside of the budget cap. But yeah, it’s a big cheque to be writing to the FIA.”
What is a Super Licence?
A Super Licence, issued by the FIA, is the most prestigious licence a driver can obtain, and it is essential for anyone wishing to compete in Formula 1. The FIA, which governs Formula 1, is responsible for awarding this licence to qualified drivers.
This licence system was started in the 1990s. However, a minimum age requirement was introduced in 2015. This change was influenced by the debut of Max Verstappen in 2015, who was just 17 years and 166 days old at the time of his first Formula 1 race—the introduction of the age requirement aimed to ensure safety and adequate experience among drivers entering the competition.
Earning a Super Licence: The Process
To obtain a super licence, drivers must fulfil several criteria, including being at least 18 years old at the start of their first F1 season, possessing a valid driving license, and successfully passing an FIA theory test on F1 sporting codes and regulations.
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Drivers who have previously held a super licence for three consecutive seasons are still eligible to apply for a new one if they wish to return to F1. This provision allows drivers like Nyck De Vries, who left AlphaTauri mid-2023 season, the opportunity to reapply for a super licence and potentially re-enter F1 in the coming years.
Cost of a Super Licence
The base fee for a super licence is reportedly €10,400, a mandatory cost for all drivers to compete in the subsequent season. Additionally, there is a charge of €2,100 for each point scored in the previous season.
Verstappen’s Super Licence Fee for 2024
Verstappen faces a significant extra charge for securing 575 points in the 2023 season for his 2024 season Super Licence. With each point adding €2,100 to the fee, his total cost for the super licence amounts to €1,217,900.
2024 Super Licence Fees for F1 Drivers
The following is an estimated list of super licence fees for each driver in 2024, calculated based on the points scored in the previous season:
| 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 |
| Alexander Albon | 27 | €67,100 |
| Yuki Tsunoda | 17 | €46,100 |
| Valtteri Bottas | 10 | €31,400 |
| Nico Hülkenberg | 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 |
How much does the FIA make from F1 drivers’ Super Licence?
Based on the calculated fees, the total amount expected to be collected by the FIA from Formula 1 drivers for their super licences in 2024 is estimated to be €5,380,200. This sum is a cumulative total from all drivers to enable them to participate in the races for that year.
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