FIA Unhappy With F1 75 After Max Verstappen And Christian Horner Boos

According to a report from Thomas Maher at Planet F1, sources from within the FIA have responded to the extensive boos from within the crowd during the F1 75 event in London.

The FIA is dissatisfied with how the audience reacted to Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen and Christian Horner. Maher explained:

"Sources in the governing body have suggested that the booing of the governing body is merely a byproduct of its unenviable position of being the regulator and enforcer, and that its greater concern is on the booing focused at competitors within the sport."

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Horner received boos as soon as he appeared on stage to introduce the team and pay tribute to its late founder Dietrich Mateschitz. It's worth noting that Horner has a significant public profile, enhanced by his appearances in the Netflix series "Drive to Survive," which many feel portrayed him and Red Bull as a whole as the 'bad guys.'

Meanwhile, Verstappen chose to avoid engaging in interviews at the event, sticking only to his required media commitments. Verstappen's rivalry with Lewis Hamilton in 2021 and intense racing moments with other British drivers have added tension, especially during events held in the UK.

Although the FIA itself faced boos, their president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, was not at the event. It comes at a time when the organization is campaigning against online abuse within the motorsport community. Studies showing that officials and racers frequently endure online harassment, including racist and misogynistic comments, have prompted the FIA to push for stricter penalties on unsportsmanlike behavior both on and off the track.

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Verstappen's father, Jos, has since explained to the media that if the event is held in Britain again next year, then Max will not be attending. Jos commented:

"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."

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