Formula 1 CEO not in favour of salary cap: 'They are the heart of this show'

Formula One teams have to adhere to a $145 million budget cap for the first time in 2021, but drivers are still being paid a lot. Where a salary cap is now also being discussed, Stefano Domenicali is not a big fan of it.

As of this season, F1 teams must stay within the confines of a $145 million budget cap. Not all teams will reach this amount, but for Red Bull Racing and Mercedes it had an impact of course. Still, the impact is not that big, because drivers and the best paid staff are not affected.

Salary cap for drivers

Lewis Hamilton reportedly still earns around 40 million dollar, and Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel are still on the payroll for 25 and 15 million respectively. Particularly high sums, but sums that are outside the budget cap for now. Nevertheless, there is now talk of a salary cap.

This salary cap would be an amount of 30 million dollar, for which the two drivers and the reserve driver would have to be paid. Hamilton already earns more than this cap and will have to give up a lot. Yet there are also hakeF1n and eyes to this deal, because bonuses for points, victories or a title would not be counted.

F1 CEO not in favour

This might have to do with the preference of the CEO of Formula 1. ''The drivers are very important for our sport. They are the figurehead for an entire team. The exceptionality of Hamilton and the danger Grosjean ran in Bahrain help us remember that drivers are the heart of this show'', Domenicali told Corriere dello Sport.

Domenicali wants to reward drivers for their heroic deeds, but there are also many people in favour of a salary cap. Franz Tost already said he is in favour of a cap. Drivers should not earn more than 10 million euros per year. They should be happy with the fact that they get to drive these cars.''