The 2025 season officially kicked off with the F1 75 launch event at the O2 Arena in London on Tuesday.
All 10 teams and 20 drivers were present to showcase the new 2025 liveries for their respective challengers. The teams came out in reverse order of the 2024 constructors’ championship.
| Position | Constructors’ Standings | Points |
| 1 |
McLaren Racing |
666 |
| 2 |
Scuderia Ferrari |
652 |
| 3 |
Red Bull Racing |
589 |
| 4 |
Mercedes-AMG Petronas |
468 |
| 5 |
Aston Martin F1 Team |
94 |
| 6 |
Alpine F1 Team |
65 |
| 7 |
Haas F1 Team |
58 |
| 8 |
Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team |
46 |
| 9 |
Williams F1 Team |
17 |
| 10 |
Sauber F1 Team |
4 |
As the champions, McLaren went last with the design for the MCL39 – the team gave the car its first outing in a filming day at Silverstone the week prior. McLaren fans were left ‘fooled’ by the 2025 livery as it looked no different to its predecessor.
But it was not the liveries that were the major talking point from F1 75. The FIA received a frosty reception when the crowd booed the governing body as presenter Laura Winter mentioned them at the event.
The boos came after FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s crackdown on swearing for the 2025 season. Drivers could now receive a one-month ban and points deductions if they are repeatedly caught swearing in press conferences and over team radio.
World Rally Championship driver Adrien Fourmaux recently became the first to be fined under the new FIA rules after swearing on live TV during Rally Sweden. The new punishments have been met with a mixed reception, as evidenced by the crowd’s boos at F1 75.
Fans catch Lando Norris laughing as the crowd booed the FIA at F1 75
Lance Stroll says the swearing ban will be ‘challenging’ to handle for the drivers. Oliver Bearman even admitted he cannot afford to pay the fines if he offends, which can rise to 120,000 euros (roughly £99,400) for repeat offences.
Some within the sport agree with the punishments. McLaren CEO Zak Brown sees ‘no reason’ for swearing in press conferences and supports the initiative.
While the boss agrees with the rule changes, his drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri gave a telling reaction to the crowd boos at F1 75.
Fan footage shared by SoyMotor shows the McLaren table at the event as the crowd begins to boo the FIA. Piastri is seen covering his mouth during the ordeal, mainly to hide the fact that ‘his jaw has dropped to the floor.’
On the other side of the table, Norris and team principal Andrea Stella are caught smiling and laughing as the boos ring around the venue.
The FIA were not impressed by F1 75 crowd boos – but not towards them
The FIA were not the only ones to receive a negative reaction at F1 75. Red Bull were on the end of boos from the crowd at the event, particularly Max Verstappen and Christian Horner.
The former previously joked he would skip the event but did end up being present. Verstappen was booed by the crowd – which was drowned out by cheers – with some British fans still holding a grudge for the events of 2021.
Verstappen and Liam Lawson were not interviewed on stage like the other nine teams, with the cameras cutting straight to Ferrari. Fans were asking the same ‘painful’ question as to why they were not interviewed but this likely would have been pre-agreed beforehand – a wise decision given the reaction.
Red Bull opted to let Horner present their 2025 livery – teams could use their allotted time however they wished. Red Bull did themselves no favours by letting Horner speak as the team principal is already under enough fire from some fans as it is.
FIA ‘sources’ were seriously unhappy with Red Bull’s treatment at the event, despite themselves receiving a negative reaction. Ben Sulayem was not present at the O2 arena – again, a wise decision.
