F1’s extreme wealth could buy several Premier League clubs at once

January 19, 2026 Oliver Obel

The scale of money in Formula 1 has reached a point where comparisons with elite football ownership no longer feel exaggerated. In some cases, the personal fortunes built around the sport are large enough to rival or even exceed the valuations of established Premier League clubs.

One of the clearest examples sits on the current F1 grid.

A billionaire presence in the paddock

Lawrence Stroll, the owner of the Aston Martin Formula 1 team, is widely reported to have a net worth of around £2.9 billion. That level of wealth places him among the richest individuals involved in global motorsport and opens the door to ownership opportunities far beyond racing.

In football terms, that sum would theoretically be sufficient to acquire several mid-sized Premier League clubs. Valuations cited by The Athletic suggest that teams such as Bournemouth, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sunderland, Nottingham Forest, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Everton each fall within a financial range that, collectively, aligns with Stroll’s reported fortune.

The league’s biggest brands, however, remain in a different bracket. The Athletic estimates that Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are each valued above £2.9 billion on their own, while Chelsea is placed slightly lower, at roughly £2.5–£2.7 billion.

The wider context: money across the F1 grid

Stroll’s wealth sits at the extreme end of a sport already defined by vast financial rewards. Formula 1 drivers are among the highest-paid athletes in world sport, with salaries reflecting both on-track success and commercial appeal.

Figures reported across motorsport media place Max Verstappen at the top of the earnings list, with an annual salary of around $76 million. Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, is believed to earn close to $70 million, while newly crowned title winner Lando Norris reportedly takes home about $57 million per year.

By contrast, younger drivers at the start of their careers operate on a very different scale. Arvid Lindblad, Gabriel Bortoleto and Oliver Bearman are all said to earn roughly $2 million per season, highlighting the sharp financial gradient within the grid.

A family business, not just a driver contract

Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll reportedly earns around $13 million annually, a solid figure by F1 standards but modest compared to the financial power behind the team. His father’s ownership of Aston Martin means the Stroll family’s influence extends well beyond a single driving contract.

That combination of team ownership, long-term investment and personal wealth reflects a broader trend in Formula 1, where ultra-high-net-worth individuals increasingly view the sport as both a competitive and commercial platform.

Eyes on 2026, not football bids

Despite the eye-catching comparisons with football, Lawrence Stroll’s focus remains firmly on Formula 1. Aston Martin heads into the 2026 season looking to rebound after Lance Stroll finished 16th in the previous championship.

The team enters a major regulatory reset with optimism. Honda’s arrival as power unit supplier and Adrian Newey’s expanding role have positioned Aston Martin as a potential outsider when the new era begins. The Silverstone-based outfit is set to unveil its AMR26 challenger on February 9.

For now, the Premier League remains a thought experiment but the comparison alone underlines just how far Formula 1 wealth can stretch.

Sources: The Athletic