Written by Benjamin Crundwell, Edited by Jann Erin Castro
When news dropped that Formula One would hold a single launch event for all ten teams, many fans were dubious, suggesting it was just a “cash grab.” F1 proved otherwise.
Although the tickets sold out within half an hour, the prices were good for an F1 event. A standing ticket would cost £100, plus a £10 booking fee.
As somebody who was fortunate to purchase tickets myself, I also saw what prices would be like outside the event. A hotel 10 minutes from the O2 cost under £150 for two people, on the night of the show. Food, for two people, beforehand costs £27, and the tube caps at £10, providing quick and easy transport around London.
This meant the cost for two adults came out to be under £400 (less than £200 each). While it is still expensive, it’s relatively very cheap compared to going to a Grand Prix, where just the ticket for one person alone costs more than a whole F1 75 trip.
I believe this was important, as it meant the event was accessible for those who may not have been able to go to a race before due to cost.
Although ticket holders would obviously not see any on-track racing, I experienced a few advantages in F1 75 over visiting a Grand Prix, with much closer access to all 20 drivers.
Seats on the right hand side of the arena would allow fans at the front to be just a few metres from their heroes for the evening — at no extra cost.
Furthermore, historically, team launches and livery reveals have had very limited public access, meaning this event was undoubtedly an opportunity to experience something few fans have in the past.
The day before the event, F1 announced who would be entertaining for the evening. While most fans (including myself) weren’t overly excited by the musicians making an appearance, a surprise performance by Temilade Openiyi went down well.
Producer of the F1 Theme, Bryan Tyler, performed as well, except he did not perform the F1 theme itself. This felt like an odd decision, leaving a lot of fans unsure of who he actually was during his performance. Fan-favourite pop group Take That closed the show at the end of the evening.
Although Jack Whitehall has received some criticism, it’s negligible compared to the support he has received since his excellent presentation.
While most presenters would have stuck to the script to stay PG, Whitehall did not shy away from controversy. He instantly called out the Verstappen/Russell beef, then referred to James Vowels as a “sex symbol” of F1, and later asked Gordon Ramsay his opinion of the swearing ban.
Despite admitting to being new to F1, Whitehall had clearly done his homework. Instead of being similar to the celebrities we often see at F1 events — absolutely clueless to the sport — he was well-informed on the latest goings-on in the world of F1.
This meant he did not appear out of place when presenting — in contrast to actor Terry Crews’ post-race interview skills at Vegas in 2024.
My biggest skepticism, shared with many others, prior to the event was whether it would just be a “PR event.” While Whitehall did his best to avoid this being reality, the drivers did a good job too, with red carpet banter, digs at Netflix and Yuki Tsunoda’s donuts in the car park.
On top of the 20,000 lucky ticket holders, over seven million fans watched the event via social media. It was also broadcast on 42 channels across 37 countries, so viewership would have been far higher. This was a great chance for teams to show off their sponsors, and merchandise.
I think there were a few changes which could have been made to improve the event further. The videos each team did before revealing the livery were quite long, so it felt like the time could have been better spent on bringing drivers on the stage for longer.
Furthermore, there could have been more crowd work. To their credit, a lot of drivers, and celebrities, such as Martin Brundle, interacted with the front row off-camera, however this excluded anybody not at the front.
I would have liked to see fans get the chance to ask drivers questions, or compete in “challenges” for prizes such as free merch.
The final criticism is the location. While London was a good choice, this was F1’s opportunity to go somewhere new, or even venture into a different continent, such as Africa.
Having said this, it would bring some logistical challenges, which London did not have, as nine of the ten teams have a base in the UK (Ferrari work from Maranello, Italy).
From my point of view, the event definitely overcame the allegations that it would be an attempt at good PR and some cash. Being cheaper, and more accessible than going to a race, it was the perfect opportunity for fans to get up close and see their heroes in the flesh.
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