Danica Patrick’s Net Worth in 2024: The Former Race Car Driver Now Serves as an F1 Commentator
With SI Swimsuit’s Net Worth Series: Empowering Equal Pay, our goal is to shine a light on incredible athletes while examining income disparities and promoting equal pay across industries.
Danica Patrick was a trailblazer in race car driving. Throughout her career on the IndyCar Series and NASCAR Series, the 42-year-old notched several firsts for female drivers: the best finish by any woman at the Indianapolis 500 in 2008 (where she earned third place) and the first female driver to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole.
Her success on the race track earned her widespread acclaim and the cover spot on numerous popular magazines, including Sports Illustrated. In 2008, Bloomberg Businessweek named her the 50th most powerful sports figure. That same year, she made her SI Swimsuit debut, posing in Singer Island, Fla., for the magazine. She returned to the brand for a second consecutive photo shoot in 2009.
Patrick retired from race car driving in 2018, and now pursues a handful of other professional ventures, including Formula 1 commentating for Sky Sports and cultivating her wine brand, Somnium.
How did Danica Patrick get her start?
A Wisconsin native, Patrick began racing when she was in high school. The competitions took her all across the midwest, where she found great success in regional races before enrolling in driving school at about the age of 14.
An offer to live and compete in England during the latter half of her high school years kickstarted her career. She lived in the UK for three years and competed in Formula Vauxhall and Formula Ford.
Back in the U.S. in 2002, she raced in a variety of series before being named to Rahal Letterman Racing’s IndyCar Series in 2004. Her first full year in the series, she was named Rookie of the Year.
Danica Patrick endorsement deals and brand partners
For Patrick, endorsements constituted a large portion of her earnings during her career as a professional racing driver. While she was active in the sport, she had more than a dozen sponsors, which included the likes of Chevrolet, Coca-Cola, Nationwide Insurance, Go Daddy and Tissot.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Patrick would earn above $10 million each season between her endorsement deals and race winnings. In 2013 alone, Forbes estimated her earnings to be about $15 million. And from 2007 to 2013, she was a fixture on the publication’s list of 100 highest-paid celebrities.
Danica Patrick net worth
Today, Patrick’s net worth is estimated at about $80 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The sum accounts for her earnings from her time in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR Series, her sponsors and endorsements.
Danica Patrick’s net worth compared to male professional drivers
Unlike other sports, racing does not divide drivers into men’s and women’s competitions. So, the winnings earned at each race are equivalent regardless of gender.
Patrick currently is estimated to be No. 31 on the list of top 50 richest race car drivers. Compared to Tony Stewart—an American former race car driver who won the NASCAR Cup Series three separate times—who has an estimated net worth of $90 million, Patrick’s net worth is pretty commensurate. Though she didn’t have as much success in the NASCAR Cup Series, she still managed to earn just about as much throughout her professional career—thanks, in all likelihood, to her extensive list of big sponsors.
One of her contemporaries, Carl Edwards, sits just below Patrick on the top 50 standings. Though his net worth is lower than hers—estimated at $70 million—Celebrity Net Worth lists his career earnings at about $53.4 million (compared to Patrick’s $5.4 million). Her higher net worth, again, can likely be attributed to her endorsement deals.