Every Formula 1 driver must hold a valid FIA Super Licence to compete in the World Championship. For the 2026 season, the cost of these licences has drawn attention because it directly links a driver’s performance in the previous season to how much they must pay for the next year.
How Super Licence Fees Work
The FIA charges a flat base fee for every driver, plus an additional amount for every championship point scored in the previous season. For 2026, the flat fee is set at €11,842, with another €2,392 charged per point earned during the 2025 season. This means that top performers can end up with fees well into the six-figure or even seven-figure range.
It’s important to note that while the licence cost is legally the driver’s responsibility, teams almost always pay the fee on behalf of the driver. These payments are also not included in the FIA’s team budget cap.
Estimated 2026 Super Licence Costs by Driver
Below are the approximate fees based on how many points each driver scored in the 2025 season:
- Lando Norris (423 points) – ~€1,023,658
- Max Verstappen (421 points) – ~€1,018,874
- Oscar Piastri (410 points) – ~€992,562
- George Russell (319 points) – ~€774,890
- Charles Leclerc (242 points) – ~€590,706
- Lewis Hamilton (156 points) – ~€384,994
- Kimi Antonelli (150 points) – ~€370,642
- Alex Albon (73 points) – ~€184,458
- Carlos Sainz (64 points) – ~€164,930
- Fernando Alonso (56 points) – ~€145,794
- Nico Hülkenberg (51 points) – ~€133,834
- Isack Hadjar (51 points) – ~€133,834
- Oliver Bearman (41 points) – ~€109,014
- Liam Lawson (38 points) – ~€102,738
- Esteban Ocon (38 points) – ~€102,738
- Lance Stroll (33 points) – ~€90,778
- Pierre Gasly (22 points) – ~€64,466
- Gabriel Bortoleto (19 points) – ~€57,290
- Drivers with 0 points or not racing (Franco Colapinto, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Pérez, Arvid Lindblad) – €11,842 each
Why These Fees Matter
The Super Licence fee system rewards success on the track while helping fund the sport’s regulatory and administrative framework. It also means drivers who excel pay more, which may seem counterintuitive compared to many other sports where top performers earn bonuses rather than incur higher costs.
Teams typically absorb these fees as part of broader contractual and operational expenses, making them a behind-the-scenes component of the sport’s economics rather than direct out-of-pocket costs for drivers.
As Formula 1 continues to evolve financially and competitively, understanding how licence fees are structured offers another lens into the sport beyond race results and championships.
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F1 Stats Last Updated: March 29, 2026 | All statistics, lap times, and driver comparisons on this page reflect the most current data available from the official F1 sources. And updated till the last race which happened in 29th March 2026