F1 driver salary in Australia: state and industry comparisons

What is an F1 driver salary in Australia?

When Australians search for "f1 driver salary", they are usually asking how much a Formula 1 driver would earn if they worked in Australia. The short answer is: no official Australian public figure exists. The Fair Work Ombudsman, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Taxation Office, and state industrial relations bodies do not publish salary data for F1 drivers. This occupation is not covered by any modern award, and the ABS does not include it in its employee earnings surveys.

That does not mean the question is unanswerable. By using the Salary Index, we can compare the likely pay level of an F1 driver against the national line – full-time adult ordinary-time earnings – and against state and industry benchmarks. The index works by dividing a yearly gross salary by the national line ($108,352 in May 2026) and multiplying by 100. A score of 100 is exactly average; above 100 is above average.

Why no official F1 driver salary data?

Australia's labour statistics are built around occupations defined by ANZSCO (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations). The closest category is Automobile Drivers (ANZSCO 7311), which includes Chauffeurs (731111), Taxi Drivers (731112), and Other Automobile Drivers (731199). According to Jobs and Skills Australia, the median weekly earnings for automobile drivers are listed as N/A – meaning the data is too unreliable to publish. That category covers people driving passengers in cars, not professional racing drivers.

F1 drivers are not classified as employees in the usual sense. Most are contracted by international teams based in Europe. Even if an Australian resident were to become an F1 driver, their income would likely be structured through a company or trust, not as a salary subject to PAYG withholding. The ATO does not publish individual occupation data for high-income contractors.

Using the national line as a reference

Even without a precise figure, we can say with confidence that an F1 driver salary would sit far above the national line. The index 100 benchmark is $108,352 per year. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $52,255 annualised – that is index 48.2. An F1 driver would earn many times that.

To give context, the highest industry index in Australia is Mining at 154.7, which annualises to about $167,600. The highest state index is the Australian Capital Territory at 109.9 ($119,090). Even the Professional, scientific and technical services industry (index 114.7, $124,300) is far below what an F1 driver would command. If we had to guess, an F1 driver's Australian-equivalent salary would be index 500 or higher – that is $541,760 per year – but that is speculation, not data.

State and industry differences for comparison

While we cannot give an F1 driver salary, we can show how other high-paying roles compare across states and industries. The states page shows that Western Australia (index 106.9, $115,825) and the ACT (109.9, $119,090) lead, while Tasmania (88.6, $96,008) and South Australia (94.6, $102,450) lag. An F1 driver would likely be based overseas, but if they were an Australian resident, their income would not be tied to any single state's labour market.

Industries tell a similar story. Mining at index 154.7 is the top, followed by Professional services (114.7) and Education and training (105.5). Retail trade (75.9) and Accommodation and food services (72.5) are at the bottom. An F1 driver's earnings would be more akin to a top-tier executive in mining or finance, but again, no public data confirms this.

What about awards and super?

If an F1 driver were employed in Australia under a modern award (which they are not), the closest award would be the Passenger Vehicle Transportation Award 2020. That award covers chauffeurs and taxi drivers. The minimum hourly rate for a chauffeur under that award is around $26–$30 per hour, depending on classification. That is index 48–55. Clearly, that is not relevant to an F1 driver.

Superannuation guarantee is 12% from 1 July 2026, with a maximum contribution base of $270,830. If an F1 driver earned above that cap (which they almost certainly would), the employer's super obligation would be capped. But again, this is hypothetical.

Tax considerations

Resident tax rates for 2026–27 (excluding Medicare) are: nil up to $18,200; 15% from $18,201 to $45,000; 30% to $135,000; 37% to $190,000; 45% above $190,000. Plus a 2% Medicare levy. An F1 driver earning, say, $5 million per year would pay 45% on most of their income, plus Medicare. But that is not a salary figure – it is a tax calculation.

Conclusion

There is no official "f1 driver salary" in Australian public data. The occupation does not fit into any ANZSCO category, award, or ABS survey. The best we can do is use the Salary Index to show how far above the national line such a role would sit. For context, the national minimum wage is index 48.2, the average is 100, and the highest industry benchmark is mining at 154.7. An F1 driver would be far beyond that – but without public data, we cannot give a number.

If you are researching salaries for high-income roles in Australia, the pay guides and topics pages offer more detail on award-covered occupations and industry benchmarks. For F1 drivers, the answer is simply: no official Australian figure exists.