Red Bull and FIA in crowd crosshairs as F1 75 launch proves a hit
Formula 1 made history by launching all 10 teams’ liveries in a single, unified spectacle, transforming what was once a scattered series of individual unveilings into a grand event. To much fanfare and anticipation, the move proved a gamble that paid off, delivering a visually striking and commercially successful showcase. But as with any bold initiative, not everyone is convinced that this format should be the future of F1’s season launches.
From Skepticism to Success: Learning from Drive to Survive
Much like Netflix’s Drive to Survive, which initially faced skepticism before revolutionizing F1’s global popularity, the concept of a single, unified team launch raised many eyebrows. Long-time fans questioned whether stripping individual teams of their personal branding moments would diminish the excitement leading up to the season. Yet, just like Drive to Survive, which took the sport beyond its traditional fanbase and injected a new level of dramatization (sometimes at the expense of accuracy), this grandiose event turned out to be an entertainment spectacle that garnered massive attention.
From a business perspective, the unified launch was a stroke of genius. Traditionally, each team would unveil their car separately, allowing sponsors and partners their moment in the sun. But F1, now driven by Liberty Media’s desire to turn every aspect of the sport into a media-friendly, year-round event, saw an opportunity to package all 10 teams together for maximum exposure. The gamble worked, as the launch shattered previous engagement records, with over 4.6 million viewers tuning in and a sold-out O2 Arena serving as the perfect backdrop.
The Hype vs. The Reality
The biggest challenge? Making an event about revealing the same cars with slightly tweaked liveries exciting for over two hours. F1 cleverly turned the affair into a high-energy production featuring Machine Gun Kelly’s rock performance, dazzling laser displays, and theatrics fit for a blockbuster premiere. Sauber set the tone early with an over-the-top reveal involving green lasers, a drumming marching band, and a self-congratulatory video, only to pull the covers off a car that looked almost identical to last year’s.
That set an unsustainable bar. By the time the event dragged into its second hour, the diminishing novelty of near-identical liveries took its toll. Some teams, like Alpine, tried to inject life into their presentation with dramatic build-ups (even featuring Drive to Survive composer Brian Tyler pretending to DJ a dubstep set). Others, like Racing Bulls, stood out simply because their new livery at least looked meaningfully different. But for many, it was difficult to generate excitement when the ‘new’ car looked like a minor update rather than a revolutionary redesign.
The Host with the Most: Jack Whitehall Saves the Show
British comedian Jack Whitehall emerged as an MVP of the night. His well-balanced humor, coupled with just the right amount of biting wit, kept the energy up even as the show hit some lulls. His opening roast of F1’s top figures, including poking fun at the endless name changes of Racing Bulls (formerly AlphaTauri, formerly Toro Rosso), landed particularly well with the audience.
Yet, for all the spectacle, some things didn’t quite hit the mark. Machine Gun Kelly’s high-energy opening set the tone well, but a mid-show interlude from American country singer Kane Brown killed the momentum. The juxtaposition of an artist with little to no connection to F1 felt awkward and out of place, leading to a noticeable drop in crowd enthusiasm.
Red Bull’s Image Problem: The Villain of the Night?
Perhaps the most unexpected takeaway from the event was the hostile reception Red Bull and Christian Horner received. While teams like Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, and Williams basked in the warm embrace of the predominantly British crowd, Red Bull’s presence was met with a mix of cheers and jeers. When Max Verstappen’s face flashed on the big screen, the response was divisive. But when Christian Horner took the stage, the boos were deafening.
Horner, to his credit, played up his role as the night’s pantomime villain. Climbing the stage to the Rolling Stones’ Start Me Up (a nod to the team’s late founder Dietrich Mateschitz), he brazened through the negativity, cheekily reminding the crowd that Red Bull had played the song nine times in 2024 alone to celebrate their victories.
The reaction underlined a growing sentiment within the sport—Red Bull, despite their dominance, lacks widespread fan admiration, at least in the UK. Whether it’s Verstappen’s heated title battles with Lewis Hamilton or simply the fatigue of seeing one team dominate, Red Bull’s status as the ‘bad guys’ of F1 appears firmly cemented. Yet, this controversy might just be another thing that keeps F1 fans engaged. After all, every sport needs its heroes and villains.
Does F1 75 Have Staying Power?
The launch event was a clear commercial success, but should it become an annual tradition? That’s a harder question to answer. While the spectacle was undeniably impressive, many teams felt that losing their individual launch moments diluted their pre-season marketing efforts. Smaller teams, in particular, struggled to stand out in the noise of the two-hour extravaganza.
A potential compromise? Making the unified launch an occasional event rather than an annual obligation. Perhaps reserved for milestone seasons or major regulatory shifts (such as the upcoming 2026 regulation changes), this format could remain a special, must-watch event rather than becoming a repetitive affair that risks losing its novelty.
Regardless, one thing is certain: Formula 1’s experiment with a combined livery launch was far from a failure. It generated headlines, engaged fans, and—most importantly—kept the conversation around F1 alive even in the off-season. Love it or hate it, this spectacle ensured that F1 continues its evolution from a sport into an all-encompassing entertainment juggernaut.
