Christian Horner says Red Bull did not discuss the reception they received at F1 75 Live, despite admitting his “disappointment” with boos towards Max Verstappen.
Horner was audibly booed by fans at F1’s launch event in London last week when Red Bull revealed their 2025 livery and Verstappen appeared to be given a mixed reception when he was shown on the screens at the O2 Arena.
F1’s governing body, the FIA, has since released a statement expressing their “disappointment” at the “tribalist” reactions and announced a coalition to tackle online abuse, United Against Online Abuse.
“The FIA made their own comments on it. We certainly didn’t have any converstaion with the FIA following the event, it was part of their campaign to stamp out online abuse,” said Horner at F1’s pre-season test in Bahrain, which is live on Sky Sports F1 and free to stream on the Sky Sports app.
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Red Bull team principal Christian Horner shares his thoughts on the reaction both he and Max Verstappen received at the F1 75 Live event at the O2
He added: “Launching your car is a bit like launching your away strip in a home fans’ stadium. Fans will always back the teams and drivers that they want to.
“Of course, we have been the protagonists over the years. I guess the only disappointment I had with it was that the reception to Max as a four-time world champion was disappointing.
“Passion in sport is always going to be there, if the launches have been in Holland, no doubt the reception would have been somewhat different.”
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Jack Whitehall poked fun at Max Verstappen and George Russell, in reference to their war of words from the end of last season
Neither Verstappen or Liam Lawson spoke to the fans, unlike the other 18 drivers during the launch. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff told Sky Sports News that he thought Verstappen was not booed.
Horner says it’s inevitable fans will react differently “depending on where you race in the world and that’s part of elite sport”.
“The fans are the DNA of the sport. I think the fandom has changed obviously over the last few years, as we’ve been welcoming more and more diverse fans to the sport,” he said.
“Sport is polarising and competitive. Fans are passionate, and they they support their drivers, they support predominantly, their teams. You can’t dictate that.”
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Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson look forward to the upcoming Formula 1 season – their first as Red Bull team-mates
Brown: Booing is part of sport
McLaren received one of the biggest cheers of the night, with Lando Norris becoming one of the most popular drivers on the grid in recent years.
A rivalry began between Red Bull and McLaren last season, including between Horner and Zak Brown, with both teams trying to get the upper hand as the title battle became more intense.
Verstappen won the drivers’ title but McLaren secured their first Constructors’ Championship in 26 years.
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McLaren’s Lando Norris tells Martin Brundle that not everything you see on the outside of the new car has changed much, but a lot has changed on the inside
Brown says the fans were “voicing their opinion on who they were cheering for or not”.
“I’ve never been to a sporting event that’s been quiet, where someone’s not yelling at a football player for missing a goal, or in ice hockey or baseball,” he said.
“Sport brings out passion in fans, and they cheer and they boo. I didn’t hear anything that was other than cheering and booing. I’ve certainly seen a lot worse on social media, where you go, ‘wait a minute, you’re kind of going a bit too far’.
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Ted Kravitz says the 2025 McLaren car looks ‘more aggressive’ than Ferrari’s from what he has seen so far in pre-season shakedowns
“But cheering and booing has been part of sport, every sport, forever, and that’s what fans do. They yell at their TV when they’re watching with their buddies.
“Everyone has a favourite team, a favourite driver, a less favourite side. I just think that’s sport. I didn’t think there was anything violent, and you definitely see other sports that have had riots break out. That was far from from that.
Sky Sports F1’s live pre-season testing schedule
Wednesday February 26 – Day One
- 11.55am-4.05pm: Afternoon Session
- 8pm: Testing Wrap
- 8.30pm: Ted’s Testing Notebook
Thursday February 27 – Day Two
- 6.50am-11.05am: Morning Session
- 11.55am-4.05pm: Afternoon Session
- 8pm: Testing Wrap
- 8.30pm: Ted’s Testing Notebook
Friday February 28 – Day Three
- 6.50am-11.05am: Morning Session
- 11.55am-4.05pm: Afternoon Session
- 8pm: Testing Wrap
- 8.30pm: Ted’s Testing Notebook
- 9pm: Ted’s Development Corner
When is the first F1 race?
For the first time since 2019, the season-opener will be held in Melbourne at the Australian Grand Prix on March 14-16. The first race has switched from Bahrain to Australia due to Ramadan taking place throughout March.
There are 24 events on the 2025 F1 calendar, the same number as last year, with the season ending at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 5-7.
Watch all 24 race weekends from the 2025 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1, starting with the Australian GP on March 14-16. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime