The 2023 Formula 1 season is underway and besides that, the ‘Drive to Survive’ season 5 has set the ball rolling for another wave of fans to flock into the ever-growing fanbase of the single-seater formula racing championship. That said, it is no surprise that the Formula 1 drivers are witnessing growing numbers of followers on their social media handles, especially on Instagram. Seven-time Formula 1 World Champion is leading the pack with a surge of 98,730 followers in a week’s time.
With a gigantic social media presence the motorsport fat cats have, comes a host of endorsements, sponsorship deals and often, these global-level celebrities make hefty dough out of it. A recent analysis from RantCasino experts underlines the potential earnings which a driver can earn from a sponsored Instagram post. Ranging from a whopping £87,681 to £16,732, the drivers are earning a fortune off the circuit and boy, oh boy, it’s massive.
Here, let’s take a look at the top 5 drivers with the most potential earnings per Instagram post this year.
Lewis Hamilton
Often regarded as one of the greatest drivers to have raced in Formula 1 alongside the likes of Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna, Hamilton has the most followers on Instagram amongst the present grid, with the number currently in the north of 31 million.
The Brit is expected to potentially earn £87,681 (Rs 87 lakh) from a single sponsored Instagram post this season.
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who had a dismal start to the season at the Bahrain GP with the Prancing Horse’s reliability woes appearing far from over, is second on the list with the potential earning of £27,632 (Rs 27 lakh) per post. The 25-year-old Italian currently has 10.2 million followers on Instagram.
Max Verstappen
Red Bull Racing’s reigning World Champion, who clinched a dominating victory at the Bahrain GP earlier this month, has 9.6 million followers on Instagram at present.
The Dutchman is expected to make £26,520 (Rs 26 lakh) per IG post this season.
Carlos Sainz Jr
Carlos Sainz Jr, Leclerc’s Ferrari teammate, is fourth on the list with 6.4 million followers and a projected earning of £17,366 (Rs 17 lakh) per post, ranks fourth on the list.
The Spaniard wasn’t able to beat his compatriot and two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso in the opening drive at the Bahrain GP but is expected to make £3,604 more than him per sponsored post this year. The scenarios might change with the latter seemingly appearing to be a threat for the podium places having already clinched one.
Lando Norris
Belgian-British driver Lando Norris completes our list with a potential per post earning of £16,732 (Rs 16 lakh). The McLaren driver has 6 million followers as of now. The 23-year-old has a net worth of $30 million.