Motorsport has always been about living the high life, from James Hunt back in the 1970s to Lewis Hamilton in the present day.
The fastest cars, the biggest houses and the most beautiful women. Some things never change.
Behind all the on-track politics that plagued the season of Mercedes duo Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, there is one constant: money.
Of course, not all drivers are created equal. From Jenson Button’s “playboy” youth to Hamilton’s Snapchat antics, every racer has his own way of blowing off steam.
But what do the rich and famous of F1 get up to in their spare time?
Lewis Hamilton
Active years: 2007-present
Earnings: $46 million
Three World Championships, a swanky Monaco mansion and a string of celebrity friends – and ex-girlfriends – Hamilton is the epitome of modern F1. He is the ultimate “Hollywood” racer.
The famously – or perhaps infamously – flashy driver is one of the world’s highest-earning sportsmen, with Forbes claiming he takes home $46M per year after earnings and endorsements.
As well as being one of the most successful men on the track, he does pretty well off the track, too, surrounding himself with celebrity chums, enjoying a host of A-list flings as well as having apartments in Monte Carlo and New York, worth a combined $41M.
The Mercedes man may have narrowly missed out on the title in 2016 to ex-teammate Rosberg, but his world-famous, off-track persona will see him remain a part of the so-called “A-list” for decades to come.
His on-off relationship with former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger and his recent rumored romance with superstar singer Rita Ora undoubtedly played a major role in that. He is now being spotted out and about with model Winnie Harlow.
Things are only set to get better for the Brit. Hamilton’s new deal — signed at Mercedes — means he is line to rake in an astonishing $140M.
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Sebastian Vettel
Active years: 2006-present
Earnings: $44 million
While Hamilton may top the list of richest F1 racers, German superstar Vettel is not far behind, earning $44M, according to Forbes.
But the four-time champion is the polar opposite of Hamilton, turning his nose up at the glitz, glamour, mansions and celebrity pals.
The 29-year-old instead resides in a medieval-style farmhouse in Switzerland, cruising around the mountains in a VW minivan, rather than super-charged hypercars, with childhood sweetheart Hanna Prater and two young daughters, Emilie and Matilda.
Vettel even said: “I’m not tempted by glitzier places like Monaco. It’s a nice place, but it’s not nice for me for more than a week.”
That is in spite of his $44M annual earnings from Italian giants Ferrari.
Fernando Alonso
Active years: 2001-present
Earnings: $37 million
In terms of base wage, Spaniard Alonso is the highest-paid F1 driver on the grid — despite not winning a single race in three-and-a-half years.
The former Renault and Ferrari ace made a risky move to McLaren with the Brit team struggling to keep up with Mercedes amid all the rule changes.
Despite that, Alonso is something of a Hamilton-Vettel hybrid, owning a luxury apartment in a 52-story building in billionaire’s playground Dubai, reportedly worth $158M.
While his choice of domicile may be slightly more Hamilton, his personal life is far more steady, choosing to ditch the celebrity high life in favor of a fiercely private home life.
Alonso prefers to kick back in some of his stunning holiday homes — two in Switzerland and one in Oxford — reportedly with stunning Russian model Viki Odintcova, having secretly divorced wife Raquel del Rosario in 2011.
Kimi Raikkonen
Active years: 2001-2009, 2012-present
Earnings: $27 million
Finnish star Raikkonen has long been famed for his party-boy lifestyle, having burst onto the F1 scene all the way back in 2001.
For instance, the Finnish star was famously caught taking a tumble on a yacht in every racer’s paradise — Monaco — and marrying, then divorcing, former Miss Scandinavia Jenni Dahlman.
His antics drew comparisons to former champion Hunt, even competing under the pseudonym “James Hunt” in a snowmobile race in 2007 when he was supposed to be in Australia preparing for the season opener.
Raikkonen also once took part in a powerboat race while dressed as a gorilla.
However, the former world champion has settled down a tad as he’s gotten older.
He’s swapped the swanky south coast of France for a relaxed retreat in Finland with partner Minttu Virtanen — a secluded villa in Porkkalanniemi, having also sold his luxury bachelor pad in Helsinki, for a national record of nearly $18M.
However, Raikkonen has retained all the fun the Finnish people are synonymous for within the racing community, building a motocross racetrack within the grounds of his forested home.
On top of that, the Finnish ace kicks back with some snowboarding and ice hockey, regularly turning out for his hometown team, the Espoo Blues.
Nico Rosberg
Active years: 2006-2016
Earnings: $21 million
Despite all the razzmatazz within F1, there has never been as big a mic drop as Rosberg finally toppling frenemy Hamilton to win the 2016 World Championship … and then promptly retiring.
The German was always going to be a racer, having been born and bred in Monte Carlo, where he still resides in a luxurious apartment in the heart of the city’s famous harbor.
However, despite having the glitz and glamour in his blood, Rosberg is far more Vettel than Hamilton, having married childhood friend and long-time fiancee Vivian Sibold in 2014.
They now have a 1-year-old daughter, Alaia, together.
Whatever happens, he will always know he retired a champion, and a rich one at that.
Jenson Button
Active years: 2000-2016
Earnings: $14 million
It’s somewhat hard to believe now, but back in the day, Button was criticized for focusing more on yachts, stunning models and living the high life in Monaco than racing.
Despite settling down, marrying Jessica Michibata and winning the Formula One World Championship, it would appear Button still has the playboy lifestyle in his blood.
After his marriage broke down, the British former racer — who announced his retirement last year — is reportedly dating beauty Brittny Ward.
Button has houses in the UK — including a giant manor in Guernsey and a mega-mansion called “The White House” in Weybridge — Monaco and even Bahrain these days, and he now has the freedom to pursue his other loves such as mountain biking and triathlons.
Button won a triathlon event in California in October 2015.