While Mohammed ben Sulayem may want to hear the "roaring sound" of the V10, he doesn't want to hear fans expressing their opinion of Christian Horner and Max Verstappen.

When it came to Red Bull's turn to present its livery at Tuesday’s F1 75 Live event in London, booing rang out in parts of the 02 venue hosting the event.

Earlier in the evening, the event MC, Jack Whitehall, had singled out Verstappen to make light of his spat with George Russell last year, the Dutch driver, though looking uncomfortable, laughing off the jibe.

In reaction to the booing the FIA has now issued a statement condemning the booing, all but describing it as abuse.

"Great rivalries throughout the history of motorsport have contributed to making it such an exciting experience for fans," said an FIA spokesperson.

"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 of 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."

Such is the concern the matter will probably be raised when the World Motor Sport Council meets later this week.

Of course, it wasn't only Red Bull that got the crowd booing, for when mentioned for the "great work it is doing" the sport's governing body also got the full treatment from the crowd.

Though not to the same extent as football, those "great rivalries throughout the history of motorsport" have also divided fans, who over the decades will have cheered one driver while booing another.

At Monza, almost anyone who threatened Ferrari's hopes was subject to abuse from the crowd - back when the term abuse didn't encompass almost everything - while (sadly) at some events 'fans' have been known to cheer when certain drivers crashed out.

Ayrton Senna was always subject to a certain amount of abuse at Silverstone, particularly when battling "Our Nige", but the year after his death 'Senna S' T-shirts were very much the order of the day.

Sadly, as authoritarianism becomes the order of the day, the FIA, under Ben Sulayem's guidance, is following the example of the likes of Keir Starmer, leaving one to wonder when people will be banned - or worse - for posting mean comments about certain drivers or teams.

Finally, a suggestion. If F1 does intend to repeat the F1 Live event, might we suggest that rather than the likes of a heavily scripted Jack Whitehall, Ricky Gervais is recruited. The British comedian and writer absolutely roasted the assembled luvvies at the Golden Globes in 2020, and would surely be just the person to tell Ben Sulayem and the rest a few home truths.

Indeed, other than sitting there squirming, we might get to see the likes of the FIA president and Stefano Domenicali booing.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by BrightonCorgi, 26/02/2025 14:36

"How about a no crowd event or each person in the crowd is paid to only cheer?"

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2. Posted by Superbird70, 26/02/2025 13:58

"Maybe it would be possible for next year to coordinate the separate launches at each of the team facilities into one event? So, 10 mini launches with a hopefully supportive fan base at each site. Everyone gets cheers and a participation trophy, and F1 should see an increase in revenue from staging the separate events. "

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3. Posted by Spindoctor, 26/02/2025 10:32

"@equator180
Not sure the venue was that significant. However perhaps you're right - maybe hold the next one in somewhere like UAE, where any form of dissent will be severely punished...."

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4. Posted by BrightonCorgi, 25/02/2025 13:06

"If FIA didn't want to hear booing for Red Bull, they should've held the event in NL."

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5. Posted by equator180, 25/02/2025 4:40

"It seems one F1 author had a different take on the whole situation: "This stance is understood to have been acknowledged internally within Red Bull, who are also understood to be unhappy with how the event played out having been under the impression of having a mixed demographic audience, rather than a predominantly British audience coming off the back of defeats in recent years for home heroes Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton – an audience which was never going to greet Verstappen with enthusiasm." perhaps the venue will have a different location and format in the future.
"

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6. Posted by Chester, 24/02/2025 12:16

"@kenji and wokingchap: I'll have to agree with you two. Booing is part and parcel of a free society.

I can't enjoy Philadelphia fans booing and then throw tomatoes at others who boo. You guys are entirely correct.

In this instance, if the F1 75 launch booing was related to 2021 I would say to those folks: get a life. They do have every right to boo, but in doing four years later reveal themselves as shallow small-life people."

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7. Posted by Wokingchap, 24/02/2025 11:56

"Dicktators don't like or allow criticism.
"

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8. Posted by kenji, 24/02/2025 1:44

"@ Chester... I'm a little conflicted here. We accept cheering so why shouldn't we accept booing as the alternative equally as well? Then comes the freedom we pursue in society to express an opinion which is what the 'booer's' are doing. Personally I think the choice of when/where to publically express aurally, one's pleasure or displeasure is the dominating factor. Timing is everything...as usual. Boo Hoo."

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9. Posted by Chester, 23/02/2025 22:03

"Unlike the Philadelphia Eagles fans who booed Taylor Swift and subsequently had team utterly dominate the Kansas City Chiefs in the Superbowl, these boo-birds have had to eat domination by Verstappen and Horner for years now.

In Texas, we call these kinds of boo-birds "all hat and no cattle". "

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10. Posted by Celtic Tiger, 23/02/2025 21:29

"A growing threat to what exactly? FIA totalitarianism within sport? I suppose if one is to attend a race this season to keep their eyes in the sky for UAOA drones plucking booing spectators out of crowds like some crooked crane game in a back alley Japanese arcade. Talk about overreach, they know where they can stick their wagging, disapproving fingers."

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11. Posted by Editor, 23/02/2025 18:05

"@ BillH

One of the funniest things I've ever seen is actually watching people boo.

I was leaving a football match a little early - to avoid the rush - and it was either Tottenham or Hearts. Anyway, as I walked up the stairs to the exit people were booing the game... and the faces they pulled, their cheeks all puffed up as they sought to express their frustration and anger!

By the way, that was when I actually went to matches... I no longer even look at the results far less watch games on TV or attend.

A portent for F1 perhaps"

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12. Posted by BillH, 23/02/2025 17:44

"Ricky Gervais would be fantastic at a future F1 Live event.
All pretentiousness or self importance of anyone involved would be removed.
"Thank your team for building the car, your fans for their support and your sponsors for the cash and F off".
I'd say that the reason the FIA and Red Bull (Horner/Verstappen) got the reception they did is because of the end of the 2021 season more than anything else.
I hate booing. It is boorish and disrespectful.
Much better to be silent, if not supporting a team."

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13. Posted by Steve 666, 23/02/2025 13:31

"But thats the audience F1 is selling itself to, you reap waht you sow.
Stick to Motor racing and Motor racing fans and they might just find the problem goes away.
Obsessed with Yankie razmataz not sport."

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FIA slams "tribalist" booing

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