F1 driver salary: How Australian minimum wage laws apply to elite motorsport

Understanding the pay floor for F1 drivers

If you’re searching for an F1 driver salary in Australia, you might be wondering how Australian pay laws apply to such a high-profile role. The short answer is that there is no specific award or published salary figure for Formula 1 drivers from the Fair Work Ombudsman, the Fair Work Commission, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, or the Australian Taxation Office. F1 drivers are typically engaged under individual contracts or as independent contractors, and their compensation is set by private negotiation rather than by a modern award. However, the national minimum wage still acts as a legal backstop for any employee in Australia, including a driver who might be classified as an employee.

The national minimum wage as a backstop

The Fair Work Commission sets the national minimum wage each year. From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, the adult national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour ordinary week. For casual employees, the rate is $33.05 per hour (including the 25% casual loading). These rates apply to national-system employees who are not covered by a modern award or registered agreement. If an F1 driver were an employee (not a contractor) and not covered by any award, they would be entitled to at least these amounts. But in practice, F1 drivers earn far more than the minimum, and their contracts often include bonuses, appearance fees, and other benefits.

It is important to note that not every worker must receive $26.44 per hour. Junior employees, apprentices, trainees, and those on introductory award rates may be paid less. For example, award-free juniors under 16 receive 36.8% of the adult rate ($9.73 per hour). But these exceptions are unlikely to apply to a professional F1 driver.

Award coverage and F1 drivers

The Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database contains minimum rates for hundreds of occupations under modern awards . However, there is no award for “Formula 1 driver” or “professional motorsport driver.” The closest award might be the Road Transport Award, which covers drivers of vehicles such as trucks and taxis, but that award is designed for commercial road transport, not elite motorsport. The Fair Work Ombudsman’s library includes a guide for drivers under the Road Transport Award, with examples of pay for full-time drivers on a cents-per-kilometre basis . That guide is relevant for couriers and truck drivers, not for F1 drivers. Therefore, an F1 driver’s salary is not determined by any award.

If an F1 driver were employed by an Australian team under a contract of employment, the contract would set the rate. That rate could be higher than the national minimum wage, but it could also be lower only if an award or agreement allows it. Since no award covers F1 drivers, the national minimum wage is the floor. However, most F1 drivers are likely to be independent contractors, meaning they are not employees and the national minimum wage does not directly apply. Contractors negotiate their own fees.

How superannuation applies

If an F1 driver is an employee, the employer must pay superannuation guarantee contributions on top of their salary. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings. So if a driver’s salary is $1 million per year, the employer would need to contribute an additional $120,000 into a super fund. For contractors, super is only required if the contract is principally for labour and the contractor meets the definition of an employee for super purposes. In practice, many F1 drivers are engaged through their own companies, so super may not be paid by the team.

Comparing the legal minimum to actual F1 salaries

Actual F1 driver salaries are not published by Australian authorities. The ABS reports average weekly earnings for full-time adults ($2,083.70 per week as of May 2026), but that figure includes all industries and is not relevant to elite motorsport. The Fair Work Ombudsman’s minimum wages page explains that the national minimum wage is the starting point for employees not covered by awards . For an F1 driver, the legal minimum is $26.44 per hour, but the market rate is vastly higher. There is no Australian survey or government data that captures F1 driver compensation. If you are trying to benchmark an F1 driver salary, you would need to look at international reports, team disclosures, or contract databases.

Practical check: what to do with an hourly rate

If you are an F1 driver or someone advising one, the first step is to determine whether you are an employee or a contractor. If you are an employee, check whether any enterprise agreement applies. If not, the national minimum wage is your legal floor. You can use our Which minimum wage applies tool to see if you might be covered by an award. Our Rate tables show the current national minimum wage and junior rates. Remember that super is an additional employer payment on top of your salary. For a contractor, the fee is negotiated, but you should still ensure the contract complies with workplace laws.

Key takeaways

• No Australian public source provides a specific F1 driver salary figure.
• The national minimum wage ($26.44/h from 1 July 2026) is the legal minimum for any employee, but F1 drivers are usually contractors.
• Modern awards do not cover F1 drivers; the Road Transport Award is for commercial drivers.
• Super guarantee of 12% applies on top of employee salaries.
• Actual F1 driver compensation is set by private contract and is far above the minimum.

For more detailed guidance on how pay floors work in Australia, see our Guides and How the figures work pages.