It is a said-and-done truth that Max Verstappen has ended the dominance of Lewis Hamilton in Formula One. The Dutchman is the new face of an F1 Champion. He broke the seven-time champion’s winning streak back in 2021. Since then, Verstappen has won back-to-back championships. Red Bull won 17 races last year, whereas Mercedes won only a single race. From those 17 races, Max won 15, and Lewis Hamilton remained winless. It was the first time an F1 season ended without a single Hamilton Grand Prix victory since 2008. After all, he is the most successful driver on the grid, with 103 race wins and 104 pole positions.
The seven-time champion also has the most podium finishes on the grid of all time. Moreover, in terms of the most marketable athlete in F1 sport, it has been Lewis Hamilton for all these years. Indeed, the Mercedes star has transcended his stardom beyond the F1 fan’s circle. Currently, the seven-time champion has a net worth of $285 million. On the other hand, Max Verstappen has a net worth of $210 million. Clearly, Red Bull knows how to keep its star driver happy. But can Max Verstappen be the first F1 driver to be a billionaire? Recently, Mark Gallagher spoke about Max’s potential earnings on the GP Racing podcast.
Max Verstappen Can Become The First Billionaire F1 Driver
Moreover, Max Verstappen has already achieved so much, and he is just 25 years old. If the Dutchman stays in F1 as long as Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, he can break all records possible for an F1 driver. Moreover, Red Bull is paying him a mammoth $50 million per year. If he has the longevity of Alonso or even Hamilton, he can become the sport’s first billionaire. The former head of Cosworth and Jordan Grand Prix says Max Verstappen potentially has a long way to go before he hangs his helmet. Gallagher says it is not necessary to use a calculator to estimate Max’s potential career earnings. Verstappen has been earning in F1 since he was 17 years old.
Already, the Dutchman has earned hundreds of millions of dollars. It is really unbelievable to be in the nine figures at 25. But Max Verstappen says that he won’t stay as long as Alonso and Hamilton in F1. He can earn serious money due to his lucrative contract with Red Bull. But if he decides to do an Alonso or a Hamilton, his earnings can be skyrocketing. Gallagher says Verstappen might not have a Nike-NBA style endorsement deal, but still, it is very significant. It is not surprising that Max Verstappen always looks so relaxed. After all, he is making 1.5 million or 2 million there on top of his salary. That’s why Mark Gallagher says Max is in a class of his own.
The Red Bull Star Can Break His Own Record In 2023
Currently, the Red Bull star is on his way to win his third championship. He has already helped his team win the constructor’s championship in 2023. Red Bull, too, is enjoying the hegemony since last year on the F1 grid. Last season, Verstappen won a record 15 races. He broke the previous record of Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher of winning 13 races in a season.
But as things stand at present, Max Verstappen can break his own record this year. He has already won 13 races in 2023. Moreover, Max can go on to win the remaining races of the season as well. Clearly, the Red Bull car in the cost cap era has turned things upside down. Mercedes, who dominated the grid from 2014 to 2021, has fallen so far behind their rivals since last year.