Top 10 F1 Drivers Who Went “Broke”

F1 Drivers Who Went “Broke”

Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello

10. Jean Alesi

A fan favorite, Alesi made millions in F1 — but a disastrous investment in a failed Japanese tech company wiped out a huge chunk of his wealth, forcing him to completely restructure his finances.

9. Jacques Villeneuve

The 1997 World Champion earned tens of millions, but bad real estate deals and a failed music career drained his bank accounts, leading him to admit publicly he had been “financially irresponsible.”

8. Johnny Herbert

Herbert enjoyed a long F1 career, yet suffered major financial setbacks due to poor investments and business ventures that never took off. He later revealed that he had to start over financially.

7. Eddie Irvine

Despite being known for wealth, Irvine nearly went broke after the 2008 financial crisis hit his extensive property empire. He reportedly lost tens of millions when the market crashed.

6. Adrian Sutil

Sutil faced heavy legal fees after his nightclub assault case. Combined with business issues in his family’s company, his finances took a significant hit, leaving him in long-term trouble.

5. Jarno Trulli

Trulli invested heavily in his own wine brand and karting businesses, but several ventures failed. Most notably, his electric racing team Trulli GP collapsed, costing him millions.

4. Rubens Barrichello

Barrichello made over $100 million in F1, but his longtime financial manager allegedly mismanaged his funds — and even stole from him — causing massive financial losses.

3. Nelson Piquet Sr.

A triple World Champion, Piquet once hit financial crisis levels due to bad business expansions and failed companies. Even he admitted that mismanagement “nearly ruined” him.

2. Emerson Fittipaldi

The two-time world champ lost everything when his racing team collapsed in debt. He declared bankruptcy, had property repossessed, and was forced to sell nearly all his assets to recover.

1. Harald Ertl

The Austrian F1 driver and businessman lost most of his wealth through a combination of failed aviation deals, collapsing sponsorship contracts, and massive debts — ultimately leaving him nearly penniless before his tragic death.