Aston Martin filings give rare look at Stroll’s hefty payday

Driver salaries in F1 are guarded tighter than Fort Knox, but Aston Martin’s latest UK company filings reveal – sort of – what Lance Stroll earns for his efforts.

Buried deep in the paperwork’s articles, Aston Martin disclosed a $12.3 million payment to Golden Eagle Racing Ltd for 2024, the company that handles Stroll’s racing affairs. That’s up from a comparatively humble $5.6 million the year before.

At first glance, it looks like Stroll was handed a 120% raise. But before we picture him diving into a pool of green bucks, it’s worth noting that the number covers the “provision of services”.

This means the lump sum pays not only for Lance’s time behind the wheel, but also most likely for the entourage that keeps him running: trainer, physio, and other miscellaneous expenses.

Still, even if that $12.3 million isn’t all take-home cash, it marks a noticeable bump for the boss’ son.

Family Business, F1 Style

The reason we even get this rare peek behind the curtain is because of one very specific rule: related-party disclosures. In other words, when your dad is the team owner – or in this case, when Lawrence Stroll (legally 'L.S. Strulovich') signs your checks – the auditors insist on a little daylight.

The mandatory insight also reveals a curious internal loop: while Aston Martin pays Stroll’s company millions, Golden Eagle Racing also sends $500,000 back to Aston Martin as sponsorship income. It’s the kind of accounting ouroboros that could make even a seasoned CFO blink twice.

Somewhere between the driver’s salary, sponsorship deals, and family board meetings, the money seems to go in a perfect circle — one that just happens to land neatly on Lance’s desk.

Alonso, bless his two-time champ heart, dodges the same disclosure drama since he's not kin to the brass. His paycheck? Shrouded in mystery, probably involving more zeros and fewer footnotes

Fringe Benefits: Cars Included, Naturally

As if $12 million and a stable seat weren’t enough, the filings also note a small but delicious perk: both Stroll and Alonso each receive a free Aston Martin company car “for the life of the contract.”

It’s unclear whether that means a sleek DB12 or something a bit more practical for the weekly Tesco run, but either way, it beats the company pens most of us get.

It’s also an amusingly British understatement that such a perk hides in a footnote rather than a press release.

Middle of the Pack Earner

So where does a $12.3 million “driver services fee” put Stroll among his peers? Most likely right in the midfield, financially speaking, but well behind the sport’s heavyweights.

F1's wage wars are a wild west of whispers, bonuses, and bespoke structures, where "salary" means everything from base pay to "show up and smile" incentives.

Nobody outside the team’s chiefs – and possibly the family dinner table – knows exactly how much Lance personally pockets.

In the end, Aston Martin didn’t reveal Stroll’s salary by accident – it was an accounting necessity. Still, for fans and pundits alike, this is a rare peek at the strange economics of modern Formula 1, where contracts hide behind holding companies, NDAs, and the occasional family connection.

So yes, Stroll’s Golden Eagle may have flown a little higher last year,a nd perhaps even higher this year – and while we can’t say how much landed in his wallet, one thing’s certain: in Formula 1, nepotism may not guarantee pole position, but it definitely pays better than results suggest.

Read also:

• Stroll dismisses the doubters: ‘I try and live in my world’

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