Introduction

Sebastian Vettel is a German former professional race car driver with an estimated net worth of $140 Million.

Vettel competed in Formula 1 for 16 years, competing in 299 races and recording 53 wins and 3,098 points. During his career, he earned approximately $367.82 million from salary and bonuses, averaging $22.99 million/year.

However, the above figures don’t account for 100% of Vettel’s income. He also typically earned $1 million/year from various endorsement deals, but began declining sponsorships toward the end of his career.

Vettel won the World Drivers’ Championship at the youngest age of any driver in history and became the youngest driver to win the double, triple, and quadruple world championships in Formula One. He previously raced for Red Bull, Toro Rosso, BMW, and Ferrari Scuderia and is one of only four drivers to have won four or more championships in Formula One.

Quick Facts

• Earned over $320 million between 2012 and his retirement
• Peak annual income of $42.3 million in 2017
• Typically earned between $300,000 and $1 million per year off-track
• Sponsors included Braun, Casio, and Head & Shoulders, among others

Earnings History

Before we go into more detail on Sebastian Vettel’s Formula One contracts, annual salary, and some of the other ways he’s bolstered his income over the years, let’s summarize his career earnings. In the 2010s and early 2020s, Forbes consistently ranked Vettel among the highest-paid drivers in Formula One.

Between 2012 and 2019, he was a consistent entry on the list, typically earning between $18 million and $42 million annually from all endeavors. This includes not only his F1 salary but also additional income from bonuses, licensing royalties, and brand endorsement agreements. That said, his base salary typically accounted for well over 90% of his total annual income, as you’ll find out shortly.

For the first few years of the decade, Sebastian Vettel earned between $18 million and $19 million per year. The major shift in his annual income occurred in 2014, when he signed his first three-year contract with Ferrari, resulting in an estimated $33 million that year. During his time at Ferrari from 2015 through 2020, Vettel’s annual earnings never dipped below $36 million, reaching a career high of $42.3 million midway through his tenure.

Vettel’s final appearance on the annual Forbes list was in 2022, during his last year with Aston Martin, when he earned approximately $17 million. This brought his total earnings from 2012 to 2022 to at least $285.4 million (likely exceeding $320 million when including 2020 and 2021).

Formula One Contracts & Salary

Upon researching how much money Sebastien Vettel earned in Formula One, the only figures we couldn’t find were for his initial season at BMW Sauber in 2006. Based on the information available, Vettel earned at least $368.8 million in base salary during his Formula One tenure. This figure doesn’t include his additional earnings from brand endorsements, licensing, and so on. These earnings were split primarily between three teams: Red Bull, Ferrari, and Aston Martin.

Endorsement Income

Throughout his career, Sebastian Vettel earned a small portion of his income off the track through endorsement deals; however, these earnings weren’t substantial compared with his on-track salary in Formula One. According to Forbes, Vettel’s annual endorsement income typically ranged from $300,000 to $1 million, accounting for less than 3% of his total income.

Which companies paid him the most money is unknown, as none of his contracts with these brands have been publicly disclosed. However, that said, we do have a list of all the partnerships Vettel secured during his career, which includes companies such as:

• Braun (men’s grooming)
• BWT (Best Water Technology)
• Casio (watches)
• Head & Shoulders (hair care)
• Infiniti (automaker)
• Shell (fuel and auto lubricant)
• Pepe Jeans (clothing)
• Tirendo (tires)

Based on the information available to us, we estimate that Sebastian Vettel earned between $5 million and $10 million from brand endorsements over the course of his Formula One career.

How Does Sebastian Vettel Spend His Money?

Vettel is concerned about environmental and social justice issues surrounding the LGBTQ+ community and supports them. He has helped children build beehives to prevent an agricultural crisis caused by declining bee numbers across Europe.

Vettel has raised the ire of the Canadian government with his rants about the Alberta tar sands petroleum extraction. However, as he drives for Aston Martin, which manufactures some of the most expensive cars in the world and is sponsored by the petroleum company Saudi Aramco, it’s a bit hypocritical of him.

He owns a modest farmhouse in the canton of Thurgau, Switzerland, worth an estimated $7 million, and is said to own other property in the area. However, he is extremely secretive about his financial position and has requested that the authorities remove his land registration details from their online records.

Summary 

It is difficult to predict what Sebastian Vettel will do next, as he doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone and has the wealth, resources, and willpower to achieve whatever he wants. Many people are still shocked by the news of his departure from Formula One, as it marks the end of an era. In his recent interview, he mentioned wanting more family time, which is understandable given that he prioritizes it above all else.

Introduction

Max Verstappen is a Belgian-Dutch professional Formula One driver with an estimated net worth of $200 Million.

Verstappen has raced in Formula One for 11 years, competing in 216 races and recording 65 wins and 3,147.5 points. During this period, he has earned approximately $190.4 million in salary, averaging $17.31 million/year. However, his next four years with Red Bull tell a different story entirely. They are set to earn him at least $65 million/year until the end of 2028.

While over 90% of Verstappen’s earnings come from his Formula One salary, he also earns approximately $6 million/year from endorsement deals with global brands such as EA, Ford Motor, and Heineken.

Earnings History

Since the beginning of the decade, Max Verstappen has consistently been ranked among the highest-paid Formula One drivers, if not the highest, every single year. Before we discuss the details of his contracts with Red Bull, let us review Forbes’s estimates of his annual income. 

In 2021, the publication ranked Verstappen as the second-highest-paid F1 driver, behind Lewis Hamilton. At the time, Max was earning approximately $42 million per year on the track under his recently signed contract with Red Bull. By 2022, Verstappen’s annual income had increased to $60 million, and in recent years, he has earned at least $70 million annually, despite his annual bonuses declining. For the most recent calendar year, Verstappen earned an estimated $76 million, of which $6 million was earned off the track.

Based on the information above, Max Verstappen has earned an estimated $323 million over the past five years.

Formula One Salary & Contracts

In 2015, Max Verstappen signed a contract with the Red Bull Racing team and has spent his entire Formula One career with Red Bull. According to reports, he earned just $277,500 for his first year in F1. In 2016, Verstappen signed a three-year, $13.65 million contract with Red Bull, with most of the value ($10 million) paid in the final year.

In 2019, Max signed a two-year extension with Red Bull, reportedly paying him $13.5 million in 2019 and $26 million in 2020. That year, he signed a three-year extension with a base salary of $25 million and $17 million in year-one incentives. According to reports, his salary increased to $45 million for the contract’s final year, plus $25 million worth of incentives, making 2023 the highest-earning year of his career ($70 million).

Under the extension above, Verstappen won the Formula One Championship in all three years, thereby securing the most lucrative contract of his career: a five-year extension with the Red Bull Team, reportedly worth $275 million, or $55 million/year.

Thus far in his Formula One career, Max Verstappen has earned approximately $190.4 million, leaving $275 million remaining under his contract. By 2028, his total earnings should exceed $465.4 million, excluding income from endorsements and sponsorships.

How Does Max Verstappen Spend His Money?

Max Verstappen has earned a remarkable net worth and isn’t shy about spending his millions. In 2020, Max spent around $16 million to buy a Falcon 900EX private jet from Richard Branson, the plane’s previous owner. Additionally, Verstappen owns a $13 million penthouse in Monte Carlo. As a Formula One driver, he also owns several high-performance race cars, including a $3 million Aston Martin Valkyrie.

Summary 

Max Verstappen has established himself as one of the most talented drivers in Formula One. While he could easily retire now with his wealth and live comfortably, he has no plans to give up on his passions, and we expect to see him competing for many more seasons.

Introduction

Patrick Marleau is a Canadian former professional NHL player with an estimated net worth of $46 Million.

During 23 NHL seasons, Patrick Marleau played for three teams: the San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He played 1,779 games, recording 566 goals and 631 assists. As a result, Marleau earned an estimated $97 million, which translates to approximately $4.22 million per year.

Marleau holds the record for playing the most games in NHL history. He became the fourth player in history to play 900 consecutive games and one of only five to play 1,400 games with the same team. Although he retired in 2022, his career remains among the longest and most successful in ice hockey history.

NHL Contracts & Salary

Longevity was a crucial factor in Patrick Marleau’s career, allowing him to play at a professional level for over two decades and earn a consistently high income. During his NHL career, Marleau earned a total of $97 million in salary and bonuses, peaking in the 2010s. Let us review the timeline of his contracts and annual salary.

San Jose Sharks Contracts & Salary

When Patrick first signed with the San Joe Sharks in 1997, he secured a three-year rookie deal worth $2.78 million. This resulted in an annual salary of $925,000 for the first three seasons of his career. It’s also worth noting that, according to our research, Marleau never signed a contract longer than four years. Most of his agreements were between 1 and 2 years in duration.

His next three years in the NHL were all under one-year contracts, beginning with a $1.4 million salary in 2001, and increasing to $2.35 million by 2003. His 2003/04 contract was technically a two-year, $4.7 million deal; however, when the 2004/05 season was canceled due to the salary cap dispute, no player was paid for the entire year. As a result, he lost an additional $2.35 million in salary.

With every new contract, Patrick Marleau’s salary consistently increased. In 2005, he signed a three-year, $12.5 million contract with the Sharks, raising his average annual salary to $4.17 million. This was followed by a two-year, $12.6 million agreement, valued at $6.3 million per year. 

In 2010, Marleau inked the most valuable deal of his career, worth $27.6 million over four years. Under the agreement, he earned $6.9 million per season, except in 2012/13, due to another NHL lockout. Players didn’t receive their full salaries that year; thus, Marleau earned an estimated $5.42 million. His final deal with the Sharks earned him $20 million over three years, bringing his total with the team to $81.53 million.

Additional Contracts & Earnings

The final four seasons of Patrick’s career would be split across four teams, but his most notable deal was a three-year, $18.75 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 2017/28 season was the most lucrative of his entire career, earning him a peak annual salary of $8.5 million. He also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and then rejoined the Sharks, retiring with the team. 

Tax Issues

When Marleau signed his three-year deal with the Maple Leafs, most of the money was paid up front through his signing bonuses. In the first year, he received $7 million in bonuses; in the second year, $4.5 million; and in the final year, $3 million. This brought his total bonuses to $14.5 million, with the remainder of the contract consisting of a smaller base salary.

Upon joining the team, Patrick Marleau was a U.S. resident, and the bonuses were structured to take advantage of the tax treaty between Canada and the U.S. This allows non‑resident athlete signing bonuses to be taxed at a flat 15% in Canada. When the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) assessed Marleau’s 2017 and 2018 tax returns, it concluded that the annual signing bonus installments did not qualify as signing bonuses for treaty purposes. Instead, they argued that the income was employment income for games played in Canada and was subject to Ontario’s highest marginal tax rate of 53.5 per cent. For Marleau, that reassessment resulted in an additional $4 million in taxes and approximately $180,000 in interest.

Appeal & Outcome

In response to the tax assessment, Marleau appealed to the Tax Court of Canada, along with fellow player Jake Muzzin, who was also assessed additional tax. Marleau said the bonuses were paid to encourage him to sign the three-year contract with the Maple Leafs. He argued that the tax treaty between Canada and the United States limits the tax rate Canada may charge on those bonuses to 15%. According to Marleau, Canada already took that amount when the bonuses were paid in 2017 and 2018, and he then declared the income and paid any extra tax owed in the United States.

As of the most recent public updates, the Tax Court of Canada has not issued a final decision. While the outcome of the case may have implications for the NHL, the decision could affect Marleau’s future earnings and net worth.

Real Estate

According to public records, Patrick Marleau paid $3.9 million in January 2006 for a 5,726-square-foot, six-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom home in Saratoga, California. The property, built in 2001, features amenities such as an outdoor pool with a jacuzzi and gazebo area. Marleau relisted the property at $4.3 million in August 2014, but sold it for $4.1 million in October. This would have resulted in a loss after considering property taxes and agent commissions.

One of the more interesting properties in Patrick Marleau’s real estate history was his 12,000-square-foot, six-bedroom, seven-bathroom mansion in Toronto, Ontario. He reportedly paid $11.63 million for the home in 2017, upon signing with the Maple Leafs. The home boasts heated floors, eight fireplaces, and a huge 13-car garage. However, what sets it apart from other properties is the custom-built ice rink in the back garden. In 2019, when Marleau left Toronto, he listed the home for sale at $11.88 million. That said, we were unable to find a confirmed sale price. Nonetheless, this also would have resulted in a loss.