Max Verstappen was booed at the launch event (Image: Getty)
The have blasted Formula One fans after both and Christian Horner were given hostile receptions at Tuesday’s F1 75 event.
It occurred during the launch for the 2025 season, with all 10 teams revealing their new liveries at the 02 Arena in London.
But it was the on-stage appearances of duo Verstappen and Horner that produced boos and jeers from the partisan British crowd.
It’s impossible to know exactly what each individual crowd member was disgruntled by, but it’s likely the reaction stemmed from the final day of the 2021 Formula One season, where Verstappen took the title ahead of in controversial fashion.
However, the FIA have blasted the supporters who booed Verstappen and Horner, with a spokesperson saying: “Great rivalries throughout the history of motorsport have contributed to making it such an exciting experience for fans.
“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 and his Team Principal and CEO , 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.
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Christian Horner also appeared on stage at the F1 75 launch (Image: Getty)
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“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.”
The incident is said to have left a sour taste in the Verstappen camp, with the Dutchman’s dad, Jos, .
He told RaceXpress: “Max has no appetite for that, to be booed like that in front of 25,000 people.
“He also says: ‘If this is in England next year, they definitely won’t see me.’
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“I couldn’t agree more with him. You’re there to promote the sport and showcase the new colour schemes of the cars, but when they go on a rampage like that, the question is: what are you there to do?
“He has to get ready to go there anyway, but then you get booed like that.
“I think they should take a hard look at that because that doesn’t belong in this sport.”
The 2025 Formula One season gets underway from Australia next month.