Jos Verstappen, a former Formula 1 racer, is now €500 lighter in the wallet, thanks to a misguided bet against Red Bull Racing advisor, Helmut Marko, right before the 2025 Australian Grand Prix. The friendly wager revolved around the performance projections of the McLaren MCL39 compared to the new RB21.
The genesis of the bet was rooted in the 2025 Formula 1 season opener in Australia. Verstappen, a frequent critic of Red Bull Racing’s performance, and Marko, a staunch believer in his team, decided to put their money where their loyalties lay. The Austrian team, Red Bull Racing, had been grappling with a slide in performance since mid-2024, as competitors introduced improvements that Red Bull was unable to match.
Marko, unswerving in his faith in Red Bull Racing, was less inclined to sway with the winds of opinion, unlike Verstappen. This polarity in perspectives set the stage for a friendly wager. A jovial Marko told De Telegraaf after the qualifying race, “In comparison to the test days in Bahrain, we have taken a big step. The difference was at least half a second, I think.”
He went on to share how he was now €500 richer, thanks to Verstappen’s misguided prediction that Red Bull Racing would lag by five-tenths compared to McLaren, adding, “And for tomorrow, I have already placed a bet on a victory for Max at a bookmaker.”
Despite a performance deficiency, Red Bull Racing did not fall behind by the five-tenths margin predicted by Verstappen, leaving Marko to pocket the winnings. Marko’s confidence extended to the actual race, particularly with the forecast of rain on Sunday, which could potentially tip the scales in Verstappen’s favor, similar to the Brazil 2024 Grand Prix.
However, Marko was quick to downplay the pace difference between Red Bull and McLaren in dry conditions. He told De Telegraaf, “I didn’t think the gap to McLaren was that big. It was evenly matched until the eleventh corner, after that they kept the tires alive better. But tomorrow, it will be different again.”
In sum, while the bet may have left Verstappen a little poorer, it has added a dash of spice to the 2025 F1 season, putting the spotlight on the friendly rivalry between Verstappen and Marko, and the competitive dynamics between Red Bull Racing and McLaren.
