Denny Hamlin salary compared to F1 stars and NFL, | Sports News

One of probably the most intriguing tidbits to have emerged from 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports’ ongoing antitrust lawsuit towards NASCAR is the reveal of the previous’s co-owner and Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Denny Hamlin’s annual salary to drive the No. 11 Toyota.

Hamlin has spent his complete 20-year Cup Series profession with JGR, profitable 60 races – tenth most all-time, tied with Kevin Harvick – and with a minimum of two seasons remaining on his current deal.

During the 44-year-old’s cross-examination on Day 2 of the trial, Hamlin revealed that he earns $14 million per yr to drive for JGR. This was notably main information given NASCAR’s common secrecy concerning how a lot drivers earn, particularly given how it stacks up properly compared to different prime athletes.

For instance, Hamlin’s salary would make him the seventh highest paid driver in Formula 1, beneath reigning four-time champion Max Verstappen on $65 million with Red Bull, Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton ($60 million), Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc ($34 million), Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and McLaren’s Lando Norris ($20 million), and Mercedes-Benz’s George Russell ($15 million), as per Joseph Srigley.

However, when it comes to one other prime U.S. racing collection, IndyCar, Hamlin would have been by far the best paid driver in 2025, with Andretti’s Colton Herta having pocketed $7 million, adopted by Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward ($4 million), Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon (round $3.5-$4.5 million), Andretti’s Kyle Kirkwood (round $3.5 million), and Andretti’s Marcus Ericsson ($3 million), through Front Office Sports.

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These figures pale compared to some of America’s prime sporting earners in 2025 (in complete money),

Looking on the MLB, for instance, New York Mets star leads the way in which at virtually $46.9 million, adopted by Dylan Cease of the Toronto Blue Jays on $45 million, and Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies on $42 million. The prime 5 is rounded out by Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees on $40 million, and each Anthony Rendon of the Los Angeles Angels and Jacob deGrom of the Texas Rangers on $38 million, through Spotrac.

Hamlin’s $14 million salary can be tied for the 96th highest within the MLB this yr with the Baltimore Orioles’ Ryan Helsley, Reynaldo López of the Atlanta Braves, Bryan Reynolds of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Kodai Senga of the Mets.

In the NBA, Hamlin would have tied Obi Toppin of the Indiana Pacers in 124th, with Stephen Curry main the way in which for the Golden State Warriors on $59.6 million, each Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets earn the second most at over $55.2 million, whereas it’s a four-way tie for fourth at a little over $51.2 million between Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, Jimmy Butler of the Warriors, Anthony Davis of the Dallas Mavericks, and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics.

In the NFL, $14 million on the dot would tie Hamlin with Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens in 185th general, with Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert the league-leader on $60 million, adopted by Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills at $58 million, Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins in third at $51 million, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs is subsequent up at $50 million, with Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys fifth at $47.8 million.