Companies House filings reveal Domenicali’s F1 CEO payout

Formula 1 Chief Executive Officer Stefano Domenicali has emerged – quite predictably – as the highest-paid director of Formula One Management Limited following the filing of the company's 2025 annual report with the UK’s Companies House.

Domenicali, who has led F1 as President and CEO since January 2021 after climbing the motorsport ranks with Ferrari – including a seven-year tenure as the Scuderia’s team principal – heads the operational division of the global championship under parent company Liberty Media.

FOM’s latest 40-page corporate filing outlines board compensation alongside operational growth and ongoing business risks across the 2025 campaign.

While the document refrains from explicitly naming individual board members, corporate figures make clear that Domenicali represents the company's highest-earning individual.

For the 2025 financial year, the top directorial package was reported at £7.999 million ($10.5 million), accounting for more than half of the total £13.3 million paid out across all directors.

The filing notes that this nearly £8 million package cannot be viewed as a baseline salary. The overall earnings include £1.962 million tied to long-term incentive plans, alongside proceeds realized from exercised share options.

Consequently, his total payout represents a slight reduction from 2024, when the highest-paid executive role pulled in £8.765 million.

Despite the size of the payout, Domenicali's performance in navigating the complex politics and rapid expansion of the championship has earned widespread approval across the grid from competitors and commercial partners alike.

By modern executive standards in global entertainment and elite sports, his compensation appears well within reason, particularly given the unprecedented commercial gains, expanding fan base, and rising valuation of the sport under his guidance.

Operational Costs and Revenue Performance

Unlike Liberty Media's overarching financial reports, FOM’s stand-alone figures present a detailed look at the operational mechanics and expenses required to stage the global series.

Operational revenue expanded by 9.2 per cent, rising from £393.4 million to £429.6 million ($ 574 million).

However, much of this growth was negated by an 8 per cent increase (£15 million) in logistical overheads – including freight, travel, television production, and championship-related technical support – which pushed total operational costs up to £207.1 million.

Personnel costs also climbed across the campaign as FOM expanded its permanent workforce from 726 to 803 employees. Due to these rising operational expenses offsetting higher revenues, pre-tax profits recorded only a minor uptick, moving from £19.9 million to £20 million.

The Companies House document highlights that event cancellations remain FOM’s primary financial vulnerability, given that race hosting generates the majority of incoming revenue.

• Read also: FIA confirms shorter F1 races as 2027 rules take shape

While the 2025 calendar proceeded without interruption, the financial impact of event risk will become clearer in the next reporting cycle following recent schedule adjustments and race postponements in the Middle East.

This includes pending decisions regarding the fate of the 2026 Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, which are scheduled to close out the upcoming season.

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