Max Verstappen hits out at 'completely wrong' salary cap suggestion

Current Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen says that introducing a salary cap on the drivers would be a ‘completely wrong’ decision.

The Red Bull ace is believed to earn around £40m-a-year having signed a new contract earlier on in 2022 that will last him until the end of the 2028 season.

He’s set to earn a fair bit of money in that time to say the least, then, but as F1 grows and attracts more financial deals, the Dutchman believes that the drivers should share in that rather than potentially see their earnings capped, as is being suggested.

The sport introduced a budget cap at the start of the 2021 campaign and that was lowered further for 2022, to $140m.

As things stand, driver salaries are not included in that budget, but there has been suggestions that more elements, including what the 20 behind the wheel earn, could start being incorporated into the cap.

When asked about that, Dutchman Verstappen was clear in his opposition to the idea, with him saying that, as the stars of the show and the ones that ultimately put their lives at risk for the sport and for the entertainment of those watching, they shouldn’t have to see their earnings restricted:

“It’s still all a bit vague. I think no one really knows where it’s going to go.

“But from my side, it’s completely wrong because I think at the moment F1 is becoming more and more popular and everyone is making more and more money, including the teams, F1 [owners] – everyone is benefiting.

“So why should the drivers, with their IP rights and everything, be capped, who actually bring the show and put their lives at risk, because we do. So for me, it’s completely wrong.”

You can see where Max is coming from in fairness, and the likes of Fernando Alonso and Sebastian