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Kimi Antonelli set for big payday bonus as F1 championship looms

He's earned it!

Antonelli is mogelijk nu al wereldkampioen zonder dat hij het zelf weet — Photo: © IMAGO
Photo: © IMAGO

Mercedes star Kimi Antonelli has one hand on the F1 championship after Sunday's US Grand Prix and is reportedly set for a massive bonus at Mercedes when he finally secures the title.

Had results gone differently in Austin, we could already be talking about Antonelli's as F1's youngest-ever world champion, but it now looks set to happen next weekend in Mexico City.

Antonelli did his part by winning the race in the Lone Star State, but also required George Russell to finish ninth or below and Lewis Hamilton to be fifth or lower, neither of which happened in the end (Russell P8, Hamilton P4).

The young Italian now heads to the Mexican Grand Prix with a 123-point lead over his team-mate Russell, who must now win every grand prix if he is to stop Antonelli from being crowned champion.

Even if Russell manages that, which frankly is unlikely given his current form, Antonelli requires just two more points to make the championship his, meaning P9 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez next Sunday would be enough.

How Kimi Antonelli Can Win the 2026 F1 World Championship at Mexican Grand Prix
Scenario Antonelli's Requirement
Russell wins Mexican GP P9 or higher
Hamilton wins Mexican GP P10 or higher
Neither Russell nor Hamilton wins Any result

Kimi Antonelli set for huge Mercedes bonus

If he wins the title on Sunday, Antonelli will become an F1 champion at the age of 20 years and 68 days old.

That will eclipse Sebastian Vettel as the sport's youngest-ever world champion by 3 years and 66 days, as his 2010 title win for Red Bull came at 23 years and 133 days old.

It turns out, though, history will not be the only thing Antonelli gets for his title win.

According to German publication Bild, Antonelli will also receive a significant bonus on top of his base salary at Mercedes when he is crowned as F1's new king.

Antonelli reportedly earns a base salary of just $2m per year in his sophomore F1 season, but Bild say he is due a bonus that will take his pay for the year up to a total of ‘slightly less than €10 million’, which equates to around $11m - more than five times his base.

How much do F1 drivers earn?

In terms of that base salary, Antonelli’s contract remains one of the most modest in the sport, though that is likely going to change once he becomes a world champion.

As you can see below, only four drivers on the grid earn less than the 20-year-old at present, and his earnings are some way off the likes of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

2026 F1 Driver Salaries
Driver Team Salary
Max Verstappen Red Bull $107m
Lewis Hamilton Ferrari $60m
Lando Norris McLaren $40m
Charles Leclerc Ferrari $34m
George Russell Mercedes $34m
Carlos Sainz Williams $30m
Fernando Alonso Aston Martin $20m
Alex Albon Williams $15m
Oscar Piastri McLaren $13m
Pierre Gasly Alpine $12m
Lance Stroll Aston Martin $12m
Sergio Perez Cadillac $8m
Nico Hulkenberg Audi $7m
Esteban Ocon Haas $7m
Isack Hadjar Red Bull $5m
Valtteri Bottas Cadillac $5m
Kimi Antonelli Mercedes $2m
Gabriel Bortoleto Audi $2m
Ollie Bearman Haas $1m
Liam Lawson Racing Bulls $1m
Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls <$1m
Franco Colapinto Alpine <$1m

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