Formula 1 accounts reveal Domenicali’s £8m earnings and growing costs

The Italian has led the sport since January 2021, following a long career at Ferrari that included seven years as team principal. Although Domenicali is not named directly in the 40-page filing, the report identifies the highest-paid director as receiving almost £8m, making it reasonable to identify him as the recipient.

The figure represents a drop on the £8.765m reported for 2024. It should not, however, be treated as a straightforward annual salary.

Formula 1 Management’s accounts state that £1.9m of the 2025 total came through long-term incentive plans. The highest-paid director also exercised share options, meaning the final amount includes compensation beyond basic pay.

Domenicali’s remuneration accounts for a substantial share of the £13.3m paid to FOM directors in total during 2025.

FOM’s pre-tax profit edged up from £19.9m to £20m, while revenue increased 9.2 per cent, from £393.4m to £429.6m.

Much of that additional income was offset by higher expenditure. Freight, travel, television production and championship-related technical support costs rose by £15m, or eight per cent, to £207.1m. Personnel costs also increased as FOM’s headcount grew from 726 employees to 803.

Formula 1 Management acts as the operational arm of the championship, while Liberty Media holds the commercial rights.

As a result, the FOM filing does not capture every major revenue stream associated with the global series, including commercial arrangements such as broadcasting and merchandising.

The report also underlines Formula 1’s reliance on staging events. It warns that cancellations pose a significant financial risk because race hosting forms a major part of FOM revenue. There were no such disruptions in 2025, but the impact of postponed and cancelled Middle Eastern events in 2026 may be reflected in the next set of accounts.

Formula 1 has not yet confirmed the future of the 2026 Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix. Both are currently scheduled to close the season. Domenicali said in July that Imola could host the finale should those races be cancelled.

Any change to the calendar would underline the uncertainty facing organisers as they balance the sport’s expanding global footprint with its operational costs and event-driven financial model for FOM in the years ahead.