Oscar Piastri's monster payday revealed as star smashes Aussie sport earnings
Updated . First published at
Oscar Piastri is set for a mega payday following his 2025 Formula 1 campaign, with a new report revealing his rise up the class's ranks has extended beyond his on-track performance.
In what was just his third season in F1, the Australian has earned an eye-watering bonus for his third-place finish in the drivers' championship, propelling him up the sport's list of highest-paid drivers.
Despite a sensational season, Piastri had to settle for third place in the overall standings.
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Second-place finisher Oscar Piastri during the drivers' press conference following the Qatar Grand Prix. Clive Rose via Getty Images
The 24-year-old closed out his campaign 13 points shy of new world champion and McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, who sealed the title in Abu Dhabi on Monday morning (AEDT).
Having finished fourth in last year's standings, Piastri improved dramatically across the board to achieve seven grand prix wins, 16 podium appearances and six pole positions.
Now, his financial reward for the season has been revealed.
According to Forbes, Piastri will take home an estimated $56 million for his efforts in 2025.
This total comes from his $15 million salary and a $41 million bonus — a payout in recognition of his top-three finish in the drivers' championship and for helping McLaren defend the constructors' championship.
Piastri's massive base-to-bonus ratio is almost certainly because of an aggressive per-point bonus structure built directly into his contract by McLaren.
McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Getty
As a result, Piastri is the fourth-highest-paid on the grid this year, behind Red Bull rival Max Verstappen ($114 million), Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton ($70.5 million) and Norris ($86.5 million).
The top-10 list also featured Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, Mercedes' George Russell and Kimi Antonelli and Williams' Carlos Sainz.
For clinching the drivers' championship, McLaren awarded Norris a $59 million bonus, piled atop a salary in excess of $26 million.
Last year's payouts were already staggering for the McLaren duo: Piastri pocketed $34.5 million, a haul that included a $7.8 million base pay and $26.7 million in bonuses.
This positioned him seventh on the grid's highest earners list.
Meanwhile, Norris — who finished second in the drivers' standings — banked $53.9 million from a base of $18.8 million and $36.1 million in bonuses.
Lando Norris, the 2025 Formula 1 drivers' champion, celebrates on the podium in Abu Dhabi. Getty
Like many of the high-earning F1 stars, Piastri resides in the tax haven of Monaco — a move that guarantees that he receives his full pay packet without penalty.
Piastri's payday catapults him into the elite ranks of Australia's highest-paid athletes, smashing the annual earnings of Super Bowl champion Jordan Mailata ($33 million), as well as NBA stars Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels ($37 million).
While golfer Cameron Smith currently holds the crown because of his $140 million multi-year LIV Golf contract signed in 2022, Piastri is coming for that title, and he is coming fast.
