How much do IndyCar drivers make on average? Get all the details
Andrew Patterson Claudia Kogi
updated at July 30, 2023 at 12:07 PM
Racing is not all fun or entertainment, as drivers risk their lives to feed their families and for some, to just stack money in their bank accounts. Even though IndyCar racing is not as famous as Formula One, some known racers have been part of the industry for a minute. For that reason, most fans want to know how much these drivers make on average.
Source: Getty Images
To participate in this kind of racing, a driver has to pay the racing cost. Only a few athletes receive enough sponsorships to be part of the race, while the others have to borrow a loan to show their skills in these events.
How much do IndyCar drivers make as of 2023?
Is, how much do IndyCar drivers make per race a million-dollar question? It might or might not be, as the answer depends on the racer's performance in a couple of seasons. Well, it might not be because many IndyCar athletes earn in the lower six figures.
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Other SportsBesides, the salaries of different racers in IndyCar racing are different. Moreover, the same driver may earn different payouts at various events. Many, if not most of them, are not paid a basic salary. They might make some of their annual compensation in salary, but several factors determine the rest.
One might be the sponsorship they bring to a particular team. For instance, if a driver brings $4 million worth of sponsorship, they might earmark $1 million for themselves as a salary. However, if it is a better team, and the racer wants to race with the program, they might take less out of the $4 million in order to do so.
Source: Getty Images
Therefore, it is unclear how much IndyCar drivers make a year, especially following the fact that they do not earn basic salaries.
How much do IndyCar drivers make per race?
Should a racer finish among the top 12, here is a detailed guide to how much they would bag.
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Other Sports- $30,000
- $20,000
- $15,000
- $11,000
- $10,000
- $9,000
- $8,000
- $6,000
- $5,000
- $4,000
- $3,000
- $2,000
And while some might presume that the insurance of these players is included in the above-stated amounts, you are in for a shock. All IndyCar racers ought to be self-insured. In fact, one racer openly stated,
Racers all have to be self-insured. Nothing is offered from the series. Justin Wilson did not have life insurance when he was killed.
Probably if there was more money in the sport, people would be more open to transparency. I think because everyone operates on such fine margins, there is probably more desire to keep that information confidential. As you know, no one gets rich off of racing. At least none of the teams and team owners.
Source: Getty Images
How much do IndyCar drivers make a year?
When there is a question about how much IndyCar drivers make a year, it is only possible that you can get unsettled figures from different players. However, it does not insinuate that these players earn peanuts. They are just overly discreet about their exact bank figures.
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MotoGPWho are the highest-paid IndyCar drivers of all time?
After an in-depth analysis, Sports Brief came up with some of the highest-paid IndyCar racers of all time.
1. Marcus Ericsson - $1.3 million
Born on 2 September 1990, he is a Swedish-based professional racing driver who competes in the NTT IndyCar Series, driving the No. 8 Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing, and is the 2022 Indianapolis 500 winner. As of July 2023, he is the highest-paid racer as far as the sport is concerned.
2. Pato O'Ward - $1 million
Born on 6 May 1999, he is a Mexican professional auto racing driver who competes full-time in the IndyCar Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet for Arrow McLaren. As a matter of fact, he is the 2018 Indy Lights champion.
Source: Getty Images
The other IndyCar racers that make up the list of the highest-paid include;
3. Scott Dixon - $707,000
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Other Sports4. Felix Rosenqvist - $570,500
5. Alex Palou - 569,600
6. Alexander Rossi - $548,000
7. Josef Newgarden - $530,000
8. Conor Daly - $527,100
9. Simon Pagenaud - $507,000
10. Rinus VeeKay - $487,800
Some fans have consistently been wondering if how much IndyCar drivers make is among the one-million-dollar question. However, from the article above, you can tell that these racers are paid less wholesome amounts compared to other racing companies like NASCAR and Formula One. Comparing Steph Curry Vs LeBron James
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