How much do F1 principals make? The 10 principals ranked by net worth
F1 has been notable for being the playground of the richest people in the world, with some principals earning billions. But how much do F1 principals make? Their salary varies depending on seniority, success, and various performance milestones. This article covers some of the top-earning F1 principals ranked by net worth.
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We strive to provide our readers with valuable insights and information through our various rankings and lists. When compiling this list of the top ten highest-paid F1 principals, we used salary data from reliable sources such as Forbes, Celebrity Net Worth, and The Sun. We also considered factors such as bonuses and contract extensions.
How much do F1 principals make?
The principals of F1 teams are the leaders responsible for their respective teams' overall management and success. Below is the list of the top 10 richest F1 principals ranked by their net worth.
Name | Net worth | Current ream |
Toto Wolff | $1.6 billion | Mercedes |
Christian Horner | $50 million | Red Bull |
Alessandro Alunni Bravi | $5 million | Sauber |
James Vowles | $5 million | Williams Racing |
Fred Vasseur | $3 million | Ferrari |
Ayao Komatsu | $2 million | Haas |
Andrea Stella | $1.5 million | McLaren F1 Team |
Mike Krack | $1 million | Aston Martin |
Laurent Mekies | $1 million | RB |
Bruno Famin | $630 000 | Alpine Motorsport |
1. Toto Wolff — $1.6 billion
- Full name: Torger Christian "Toto" Wolff
- Date of birth: 12 January 1972
- Age: 53 years old (as of 2025)
- Place of birth: Vienna, Austria
- Current team: Mercedes
Toto Wolff is an Austrian motorsport executive, entrepreneur, investor, and former F1 racing driver. He is best known as the Executive Director of the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team. He also served as team principal, CEO and co-owner of Mercedes in Formula One and as director and CEO of Mercedes-EQ in Formula E.
During his racing career, he won eight consecutive World Constructors' Championship titles from 2014 to 2021 and two Formula E World Teams' Championship titles. According to Forbes, Wolff's net worth is $1.6 billion. Forbes listed him as having hit the landmark of becoming a billionaire in April 2023, making it onto the official list of Forbes Sports Billionaires for the first time.
2. Christian Horner — $50 million
- Full name: Christian Edward Johnston Horner
- Date of birth: 16 November 1973
- Age: 51 years old (as of January 2025)
- Place of birth: Royal Leamington Spa, United Kingdom
- Current team: Red Bull
Christian Horner is the Team Principal and CEO of Red Bull Racing in Formula 1, where Max Verstappen is competing now. He has been with the team since 2005 and has led them to multiple World Constructors' Championship titles. Before his management career, Horner was a racing driver himself, competing in various motorsport categories.
Christian was recently honoured with a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his contributions to motorsport. He reportedly has a net worth of $50 million and earns a salary of $10 million annually, making him the highest-paid team boss in the paddock.
3. Alessandro Alunni Bravi — $5 million
- Full name: Alessandro Alunni Bravi
- Date of birth: 23 November 1974
- Age: 50 years old (as of January 2025)
- Place of birth: Umbertide, Italy
- Current team: Sauber
Alessandro Alunni Bravi is an Italian lawyer and motorsport manager. He is currently the Managing Director of the Sauber Group and the Team Representative for the Alfa Romeo F1 Team. His net worth is estimated to be $5 million. He is among the highest-paid Formula 1 team principals, earning $1.1 million annually.
Alunni Bravi's wealth comes from his past experiences, his management firm, and his involvement with the Sauber Group. He has worked for Sauber for several years and was their general counsel starting in 2017. He has also previously served as Team Principal for Trident Racing and General Counsel for ART Grand Prix and Spark Racing Technology.
4. James Vowles — $5 million
- Full name: James Patrick Vowles
- Date of birth: 20 June 1979
- Age: 45 years old (as of January 2025)
- Place of birth: Felbridge, United Kingdom
- Current team: Williams Racing
James Patrick Vowles is a British motorsport engineer and Team Principal of Williams Racing. He previously served as the Motorsport Strategy Director at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, where he played a key role in their success, including winning multiple championships.
Vowles has worked in Formula One for over two decades. He has played a key role in nine Constructors' Championships, eight Drivers' Championships, and over 100 Grand Prix wins. Vowles's alleged net worth is $5 million.
5. Fred Vasseur — $3 million
- Full name: Frédéric Vasseur
- Date of birth: 28 May 1968
- Age: 56 years old (as of January 2025)
- Place of birth: Draveil, France
- Current team: Ferrari
Fred Vasseur is a French motorsport executive and engineer. Since 2023, he has been the Team Principal and CEO of Ferrari in Formula 1. He started his career with the Scuderia, working as a performance engineer for Michael Schumacher during his dominant years.
Fred has a long history in motorsport, including founding the successful ART Grand Prix team and leading other teams like Renault and Alfa Romeo. He has an estimated net worth of $3 million, and his annual salary is around $1 million.
6. Ayao Komatsu — $2 million
- Full name: Ayao Komatsu
- Date of birth: 28 January 1976
- Age: 49 years old (as of 2025)
- Place of birth: Tokyo, Japan
- Current team: Haas
Ayao Komatsu is a Japanese motorsport executive and engineer. Since January 2024, he has served as the Team Principal of the Haas Formula 1 Team. He was formerly the team's trackside engineering director.
Komatsu has over 20 years of experience in Formula 1, having previously worked as a performance engineer for Renault, a race engineer for drivers Vitaly Petrov and Romain Grosjean, and a chief race engineer for Lotus. As of 2024, Komatsu's net worth is $2 million. When Haas hired him in early 2024, his salary was estimated to be around $1 million annually.
7. Andrea Stella — $1.5 million
- Full name: Andrea Stella
- Date of birth: 22 February 1971
- Age: 53 years old (as of January 2025)
- Place of birth: Orvieto, Italy
- Current team: McLaren F1 Team
Andrea Stella is an Italian engineer and the current Team Principal of the McLaren F1 Team. He was previously a performance engineer and race engineer at Scuderia Ferrari. Stella played a key role in McLaren's success, leading the team to its first Constructors' Championship win since 1998 in 2024.
Andrea Stella is another highest-paid F1 principal, earning $5.5 million annually. His net worth is alleged to be $1.5 million as of 2024.
8. Mike Krack — $1 million
- Full name: Mike Krack
- Date of birth: 18 March 1972
- Age: 52 years old (as of January 2025)
- Place of birth: Luxembourg
- Current team: Aston Martin Formula One Team
Mike Krack is a Luxembourgish motorsport engineer who is the Team Principal of the Aston Martin Formula 1 Team. He previously served as the chief engineer at BMW Sauber F1, the head of track engineering at Porsche WEC, and the head of engineering, operations and organisation for racing and testing at BMW M.
Mike's alleged net worth is $1 million as of 2024, reflecting his successful career spanning over two decades. The exact details of his current salary are not known, but it is alleged to be around $1 million.
9. Laurent Mekies — $1 million
- Full name: Laurent Mekies
- Date of birth: 28 April 1977
- Age: 47 years old (as of January 2025)
- Place of birth: Tours, France
- Current team: RB
Laurent Mekies is a French engineer and motorsport executive. He is currently the Team Principal of the RB Formula One Team, formerly known as Scuderia AlphaTauri. Mekies previously worked for Ferrari as sporting director and deputy team principal.
Laurent Mekies has not publicly disclosed his exact net worth, but it's reportedly around $1 million. With a career in Formula One spanning over two decades and roles in some of the sport's top teams, he has achieved significant professional success.
10. Bruno Famin — $630 000
- Full name: Bruno Remy Perrick Famin
- Date of birth: January 1962
- Age: 63 years old (as of 2025)
- Place of birth: Belfort, France
- Current team: Alpine Motorsport
Bruno Famin is a French automotive engineer and motorsport executive. He is currently the Vice President of Alpine Motorsport and was the Team Principal of the Alpine F1 Team until August 2024. He previously served as Technical Director and Director of Operations at Peugeot Sport. He joined the FIA in 2019.
Bruno Famin took over the reins as Alpine's team principal interim in 2023 and is estimated to have a net worth of over $630 thousand.
Who are the principals of F1 teams?
The F1 principals are team leaders who are in charge of a constructor team and its personnel. They are usually responsible for issuing team orders and making day-to-day decisions. Some of the principals of Formula One teams include Christian Horner, Toto Wolff, Franz Tost and Ayao Komatsu.
What is the average F1 principals' salary?
Formula 1 team principals reportedly earn between $1 million and $10 million annually. As of 2025, Christian Horner, the team principal of the Red Bull Racing team, is the highest-paid F1 team principal, earning $10 million per year.
Who is the richest F1 principal?
The richest F1 principal is Toto Wolff, the team principal and CEO of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. He has an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion.
Who is the current youngest F1 team principal?
The current youngest F1 team principal is James Vowles, who took over as the team principal of the Williams Racing squad in 2023. He was born on 20 June 1979 and is 45 years old as of January 2025.
Many people have been curious about the incomes of the F1 principals, often asking questions like, "How much do F1 principals make?" F1 team principals have varying net worths, with Toto Wolff leading as a billionaire. Their financial success often reflects their teams' performance and their personal investments in the sport.
Legit.ng recently published a list of the highest-paid college athletes and their earnings. The recent changes in NCAA regulations have ushered in a new era where college athletes can profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
With the introduction of NIL rights, college athletes can now earn money from their brand and performances, creating new opportunities for many rising stars. Discover some of the highest-paid college athletes today in this article.
Source: Legit.ng