The F1 75 launch event in London gave Formula 1 fans the perfect opportunity to see their heroes in the flesh for the first time this year.
McLaren arrived as the constructors’ champions and were given the final slot during the two-hour ceremony, with Martin Brundle on stage interviewing Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Although McLaren’s livery arguably changed less than any other team, it brought to an end an event that proved to be a relative success and gave every manufacturer the chance to be creative when it came to one-upping their rivals in the race to draw attention to themselves.
One F1 team’s new look was described as ‘perfect’ and aside from Red Bull’s drivers leaving the stage without saying a word, fans got to hear from every other racer ahead of the 2025 campaign beginning.
Although Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson weren’t interviewed on stage, every driver had to walk along the red carpet where they carried out their media duties.
Rick Edwards, Harry Benjamin and Jennie Gow were all part of the media scrum on Tuesday evening for the Chequered Flag podcast.
Unsurprisingly, Lewis Hamilton attracted the most attention and received the biggest cheer of the night in the arena.
However, it was one of his rivals that drew so much intrigue outside of the venue that it appeared as though a ‘massive star’ had just appeared.
Lando Norris reception at F1 75 event was like Brad Pitt ‘just walked into the room’
After interviewing the 25-year-old McLaren star, Edwards said: “So, Lando’s just left us and you have to say, it’s very noticeable that we’ve sat here and done all of our chats with all of the drivers, and as soon as Lando sits down, there were about 100 people and suddenly, I could barely hear what he was saying.”
Gow replied: “Yeah, it was almost as if Brad Pitt had just walked into the room and all of his entourage and all of the cameras are there.
READ MORE: Lando Norris made F1 75 statement that shows he’s still not taken advice Martin Brundle gave him
“I felt like I was in a proper press junket with someone like out of this world, stratospherically amazingly talented and he is, but he’s so unassuming at the same time.”
Edwards continued: “It’s an interesting juxtaposition isn’t it because exactly that, he’s a massive star, [and] everyone’s really interested in him.
“But he’s quite a sort of softly spoken, humble, modest guy!”
Lando Norris is considered 2025 Formula 1 title challenger by Carlos Sainz
The 2025 F1 season is expected to be closer than ever and Norris will feel he has a real shot of winning the championship if McLaren maintain their advantage over the rest of the field.
Ferrari have made some important changes to their 2025 car and it wouldn’t take much of a step forward from the Scuderia to leapfrog McLaren.
Norris’ old teammate Carlos Sainz has named his four championship contenders for 2025 and included the 25-year-old.
READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration
Surprisingly, he didn’t name the man who replaced him at Ferrari although Hamilton is unlikely to take any notice of that.
Norris struggled in wheel-to-wheel battles with Verstappen last year and if Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are at that level as well, then he’s going to have to be at his very best to win his first championship.
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