Formula E is donating $250,000 to a pair of charitable causes following Max Verstappen’s fourth Formula 1 title victory.
Series CEO Jeff Dodds (pictured above) originally vowed to donate the quarter of a million should a driver usurp Verstappen this season, but following the Red Bull driver’s fourth successive triumph, Dodds conceded that Verstappen’s title was “never in doubt” but the initially “tongue-in-cheek” bet went on to become a very serious proposition.
Ahead of the opening round of the Formula E season in Sao Paulo last week, Dodds and Verstappen connected via a video call, where Dodds not only vowed to honor his original financial pledge – despite Verstappen’s win – but that the money would be split between two causes. $125,000 will go to Wings For Life, Red Bull’s charity that works to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, on behalf of Verstappen, while the remainder of the money will be put towards a new fund to support initiatives dedicated to providing greater opportunities for women in motorsport.
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“What started as a very tongue-in-cheek ‘bet’ at the start of the season has evolved into a serious commitment to support gender equity within our championship, with the ultimate goal of seeing women competing full-time in Formula E,” said Dodds. “As a first step, the research we have commissioned in partnership with More Than Equal will help us better understand the barriers to entry that women currently face, and how specifically Formula E and our teams can provide greater parity, opportunities and inclusion at the top level of our championship.”
During his call with Dodds, Verstappen commented, “The charity closest to me is Wings For Life and I’m sure they’ll be very grateful; and to support any kind of motorsport and young talent is amazing, so I think it’s a great shout from you.”
In addition to the financial pledge, Formula E has also announced a partnership with the non-profit More Than Equal organization to commission research in the barriers faced by women entering motorsport, in a bid to break down barriers and make the sport more inclusive, continuing the work already seen by the series when it hosted the first all-womens’ test for an FIA world championship at Jarama last month.
“Formula E has demonstrated a strong commitment to developing and providing opportunities for female drivers, and we’re thrilled to partner with them on this important research initiative,” said Dr. Fran Longstaff, head of research at More than Equal. “This project will use our expertise to identify the key factors that contribute to success in this unique and rapidly evolving series, which demands a distinctive blend of skills and experience.
“By working closely with drivers, team managers, engineers, and other experts, we aim to translate these insights into actionable recommendations for driver development.”