F1 75 Booing Fallout: Formula One Leaders Speak Out After 'Really Disappointing' Moment

The F1 75 booing saga has made headlines since last week's event at London’s O2 Arena. The controversy escalated as key figures, including Max Verstappen’s father Jos Verstappen, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, McLaren CEO Zak Brown, and even the FIA, which also received boos, shared their views. Red Bull chief Christian Horner ultimately addressed the issue, stating that fan reactions vary and cannot be controlled.

What was F1 75 and why the booing?

The evening in London turned out to be a one-of-a-kind grand show as the F1 community celebrated 75 years of F1, with all ten teams, team principals and drivers showing off their 2025 liveries. The event boasted a large audience of 15,000 people. However, as the evening progressed, Horner and Max Verstappen took the stage to present the RB21, which received booing from a predominantly British crowd.

This animosity likely stems from a perceived dislike of Red Bull and Verstappen by British fans. Verstappen's dominant championship run, which began after Hamilton’s controversial loss of his potential eighth title, has continued through to the 2024 season. This, combined with the lack of close racing in recent years, especially following the 2023 season, has contributed to a decline in the sport’s popularity, as fans had hoped for more competitive battles.

Jos Verstappen wasn't happy

However, the unfriendly reception for the Red Bull figures received an immediate reaction from Verstappen's father, Jos Verstappen, who suggested that Max won't be a part of the F1 75 event if it is hosted in London again. He said:

"That Christian Horner was booed like that, and Max was booed too. Look, then you do it for Formula 1, you are there to promote the sport and then you are booed by the public. I don't think that's acceptable. I get it, because Max is the only one who fires up those Englishmen and says exactly how things are. But I don't think this is acceptable; it's really a disappointment what happened there.

"No, Max has no appetite for that, to be booed like that in front of 25,000 people. He also says: 'If this is in England next year, they definitely won't see me'.

"Max feels such experiences are demotivating, especially in an environment aimed at celebrating the sport."

The FIA intervenes

It wasn't only Red Bull where the boos were aimed. Several fans also booed at the sport's governing body, the FIA, when its logo was presented at the event. This was likely a result of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem's recent controversies and approach to preventing swearing. F1 on SI reported that sources from within the sport's governing body commented on the booing at the F1 75 event. It read:

“Great rivalries throughout the history of motorsport have contributed to making it such an exciting experience for fans.

“But what underpins sport at all levels is a culture of respect. As such, it was disappointing to hear the crowd's tribalist reaction to FIA Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen and his Red Bull Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner, at the F1 launch in London.

“Max and Christian have both contributed greatly to the sport we love. In the season ahead we should not lose sight of that.

“As part of the FIA’s commitment to protect the integrity of the sport, we are leading a coalition tackling online abuse in sport under the banner of our United Against Online Abuse campaign.

“We stand with all our competitors, officials, volunteers, and fans to unite against this growing threat. We urge the sporting community to consider the impact of their actions both online and offline."

Toto Wolff weighs in

Just ahead of pre-season testing in Bahrain, Wolff commented on the booing. Known to have shared a fierce rivalry with Horner, he remarked that the boos were not addressed at Verstappen, but at the Red Bull chief. However. He stressed that the one incident should not be allowed to discredit the entire event, which proved to be a huge success. He told Sky Sports F1:

“No, I wasn’t booing. There was 15,000 people that did that.

“It wasn’t necessary that I did.

“We shouldn’t talk an event down that was mega just because one single individual, rightly or wrongly, was booed when he spoke.

“It was a great event. I mean, the spectators there were great. The presentation of the cars was good. And it sets a new format for the years to come and that is the positive we need to take from that.”

Toto reacts to last week at the O2 😅 pic.twitter.com/YlzypqtsTT
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) February 25, 2025

McLaren Team Boss Has Seen Worse

McLaren CEO Zak Brown revealed that he has seen worse cases of animosity on social media, but noted that cheering and booing are part of every sport. He said:

“I’ve certainly seen a lot worse on social media, where you go, wait, you’re kind of going a bit too far.

“Cheering and booing has been part of sport, every sport forever, and that’s what fans do.

“They yell at their TV when they’re watching with their buddies.

“Everyone has a favourite team, a favourite driver. Less favourites. I just think that’s sport.

“I didn’t think there was anything visceral or violent.

“You can definitely see other sports that have had riots break out, but it was far from that.

“I just think it was sports and fans doing what fans do, and they kind of voice their opinion on who they’re cheering for or not.”

Christian Horner Breaks Silence

Horner recognized the passion fans have for their teams and drivers, noting how fandom has evolved. While he admitted feeling bad for Verstappen, he acknowledged that fan preferences cannot be controlled. Speaking on the first day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, he added:

“It was a big event.

“Obviously all the teams put a lot of effort into it, which was quite interesting to see.

“Of course, launching your car is a bit like launching your away strip with a home fan stadium.

“So fans will always back the teams and drivers that they want to and of course, we’ve been the protagonists over the years.”

He added:

“I guess the only disappointment I had with it was the reception for Max as a four-time world champion

“That was disappointing, but passion in sport is always going to be there.

“If the launch would have been in Holland, no doubt the reception would have been somewhat different."

“I think the fandom has changed over the last few years as we’ve been welcoming more and more diverse fans to the sport.

“Sport is polarising and competitive sport across any premier sport in the world.

“Fans are passionate and they support their drivers, predominantly they support their teams.

“You can’t dictate that. We’re delighted to race in such a big audience.

“You’re going to get different reactions depending on where you race in the world. That’s the same in any elite sport.”

While Horner seems to have made peace with the controversy, his remarks highlight the emotional connection fans have with the sport, their favorite teams, and drivers. In any sport, a love-hate dynamic is inevitable, and ultimately, it is the sport and its teams that shape fan allegiance.