The new Formula 1 season is fast approaching. In less than a month, the 20 cars will battle it out once again on the Albert Park circuit in Australia, the first race of the year. This is the time when predictions for the upcoming season start rolling in. Last year, Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E, placed a bet of over $250,000 on Verstappen—will the situation be different this time?
Max Verstappen remains the clear favorite. Even though last year’s car wasn’t the most dominant, especially in the second half of the season, the Dutchman consistently secured crucial points, earning his fourth consecutive title.
He was the only Red Bull driver who managed to handle that car. On the other hand, Sergio Perez struggled every weekend just to avoid elimination in the first qualifying session. The 2025 car is built on the foundations of that same model. Once again, it will be up to Super Max to extract the best performance and stay ahead of the competition.
Jeff Dodds addressed the topic in an interview with RacingNews365. Last year, the Formula E CEO placed a bet of over $250,000 on Verstappen’s triumph. But there’s more—additional details have emerged. Apparently, Dodds and Verstappen split the charitable donation from the winnings.
The Red Bull driver chose to donate $125,000 to Red Bull’s charity partner, Wings for Life. Looking ahead to 2025, Dodds once again sees Verstappen as champion. “I think it will be a great season, much closer and more competitive than last year. There are plenty of factors making it exciting—Lando’s performances, Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, and much more.”
“I wouldn’t rule out Mercedes, which made a strong comeback at the end of last season. Then there’s Adrian Newey at Aston Martin, although he might not have a major impact on the 2025 project just yet. And of course, Red Bull’s investments for the 2026 engine. By the end of the year, in my opinion, Max will win his fifth title.
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