F1 Residency 2026:
The Monaco Math Behind the Grid
Twelve of the 22 drivers share the same home address: Monaco. It's about a zero-income-tax structure that turns a $30 million salary into $30 million kept.
Twelve of the 22 drivers on the 2026 Formula 1 grid share the same home address: Monaco. That's not a coincidence, and it's not about the weather. It's about a zero-income-tax structure that turns a $30 million salary into $30 million kept — and the math behind that decision is far more interesting than the yacht photos suggest.
Here's the complete breakdown of who lives where, what they save, and why some drivers on the grid can't access Monaco's tax benefits even if they wanted to.
How Many F1 Drivers Live in Monaco in 2026?
Twelve of the 22 drivers on the 2026 F1 grid are Monaco residents. That's more than half the grid sharing a principality of 2.02 square kilometers — smaller than Central Park.
| Driver | Team | Monaco Since |
|---|---|---|
| Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | Born there |
| Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 2012 |
| Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 2015 |
| Lando Norris | McLaren | 2022 |
| Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 2024 |
| George Russell | Mercedes | ~2023 |
| Carlos Sainz | Williams | 2024 |
| Alex Albon | Williams | Confirmed |
| Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | Confirmed |
| Oliver Bearman | Haas | Recent move |
| Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | Recent move |
| Franco Colapinto | Alpine | Recent move |
Liam Lawson is also reported as a Monaco resident. Isack Hadjar splits time between Faenza and Paris.
Why Do F1 Drivers Live in Monaco?
The honest answer is one line: Monaco charges zero personal income tax.
No income tax. No wealth tax. No capital gains tax. No property tax. No local tax. For a driver earning $30 million per year, moving to Monaco versus staying in the UK — where the top rate is 45% — is the difference between keeping $30 million and keeping $16.5 million. That's $13.5 million per year, every year, for the duration of a contract.
The secondary reasons are real but secondary: Monaco's location puts drivers 20 minutes from Nice airport, within reach of most European circuits. Its strict photography laws mean drivers can walk the streets without paparazzi. Security is among the highest in the world.
What F1 Drivers Live in Monaco in 2026? The Full Grid Breakdown
- Monaco residents (12): Hamilton, Verstappen, Leclerc, Norris, Piastri, Russell, Sainz, Albon, Hulkenberg, Bearman, Bortoleto, Colapinto.
- Switzerland: Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. Switzerland offers favorable lump-sum taxation arrangements for foreign nationals and privacy protections comparable to Monaco.
- Italy: Pierre Gasly (Milan, since 2017) and Yuki Tsunoda (Faenza). Tsunoda relocated from England to improve his integration with the team Racing Bulls.
- San Marino: Kimi Antonelli. This is the most financially sophisticated residency choice on the grid. Residents are only taxed on income earned within San Marino. Antonelli's Mercedes salary falls outside that territorial scope.
How Much Do F1 Drivers Save in Taxes by Living in Monaco?
The savings are not marginal. They are career-defining.
| Driver | Salary | UK Tax (45%) | Monaco Tax | Annual Saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | $70M | $31.5M | $0 | $31.5M |
| Lewis Hamilton | $60M | $27M | $0 | $27M |
| Charles Leclerc | $34M | $15.3M | $0 | $15.3M |
| George Russell | $34M | $15.3M | $0 | $15.3M |
| Lando Norris | $30M | $13.5M | $0 | $13.5M |
| Oscar Piastri | $15M | $6.75M | $0 | $6.75M |
| Carlos Sainz | $10M | $4.5M | $0 | $4.5M |
One important caveat: drivers still pay taxes on income earned in the country where the race takes place. Monaco eliminates the residency burden — it doesn't eliminate source-country obligations.
Do All F1 Drivers Live in Monaco?
No — and for some drivers, moving to Monaco would provide zero financial benefit.
The critical exception is French citizens. A bilateral treaty between France and Monaco — established in 1963 — means that French nationals who move to Monaco still pay French income tax on all their earnings. Monaco's zero-tax status does not apply to French passport holders.
This explains why neither Esteban Ocon nor Pierre Gasly lives in Monaco despite both earning F1 salaries. Ocon lives in Geneva, while Gasly lives in Milan.
What Does It Cost to Live in Monaco as an F1 Driver?
To qualify for residency, applicants must demonstrate financial liquidity of at least €500,000. Property costs are among the highest on earth, with an average price per square meter of approximately €55,000.
To maintain tax residency, drivers must spend at least 183 days per year in Monaco — more than six months. Given the F1 calendar runs 22 races, drivers effectively use Monaco as their base between race weekends.
