F1 | Formula 1 entry fees explained: what Ferrari and rival teams will pay in 2026

F1 | Formula 1 entry fees explained: what Ferrari and rival teams will pay in 2026. Formula 1 teams must pay significant entry fees to compete each season..

All Formula 1 teams are required to pay an entry fee in order to compete in the sport’s top category. Here is a detailed breakdown of how much each team will spend to take part in the 2026 season.

McLaren’s triumphant campaign does not end with trophies, celebrations, and success for the team and its drivers, but also comes with a particularly heavy financial bill. Before the start of every Formula 1 season, all teams must pay a registration fee to be allowed to compete at the highest level of four-wheel motorsport. Below is the full ranking of how much each team will pay to race in the 2026 Formula 1 championship.

The factors that influence the costs

The entry fee for the following season’s championship is calculated by combining a fixed base amount, which is set at around 703,000 US dollars, with a variable cost of 8,408 dollars for every point scored during the previous season. This system has been designed to make participation in the championship proportional to sporting success: the more points a team scores, the higher the amount it is required to pay.

For McLaren, unsurprisingly, the final figure is particularly substantial. After a season defined by dominance, consistency, and victories, the team scored a total of 833 points across the 24 Grands Prix on the calendar. As a result, McLaren’s entry fee comfortably exceeds seven and a half million dollars. The closest challenger in this ranking, Mercedes, will pay around four million dollars.

As far as the new Cadillac team is concerned, the cost is limited to the base entry fee only. In Audi’s case, the points reference used to calculate the fee will be those scored by Sauber, reflecting the transition phase between the two operations.