Formula One has officially opened the 2025 season with its first of a kind arena launch of all the team’s liveries for this year. The event was hosted by Jack Whitehall, in irreverent British comedian, who’s opening lines of the event fell flat as the audience appeared to miss the joke.
Whitehall was clearly well read on the controversies from 2024 but his opening gag did not appear to amuse the crowd as he said:“What a privilege it is to host this event, a grand reveal of the F1 teams new liveries. I say new but it turns out that most of them haven’t actually changed, but we have booked Machine Gun Kelly and we didn’t want to lose the deposit on the venue – so the show goes on,” the response was silence.
Undeterred Whitehall decided to try again rephrasing the mockery as the showbiz glitz and glamour F1 had brought to London. “That is when you know your sport is ridiculously minted when you book the O2 for an event to announce the colour of a load of cars, which are EXACTLY the same as last season.”
First ever F1 joint launch of the season
F175 was conceived to celebrate 75 years of Formula One since its inception in 1950. The evening was littered with memories from across the decades with VT presenting the legendary Enzo Ferrari and his clip[ed Italian accented English.
Yet it was not just F1 that was to be the target of Whitehalls sarcasm, first up came Max Verstappen who the MC introduced. “We are joined tonight by some of the biggest names in Formula One, like out reigning world champion – yes he is so excited to be here right now… some drivers just want to drive, not this guy oh yeah… he’s so excited to be here, give it up for Max Verstappen.”
The response was a mic of cheers with some boos, presumably from the Lewis Hamilton fans. Verstappen when told of the plans for a big launch for the 2025 season, with razzmatazz and glitz, replied “I hope I’m sick that week.”
Well Whitehall didn’t stop there, jibing: “Cheer up Max it could have been worse – you could be sitting next to George Russell.” The arena erupted as one. The reference to the spat between Russell and Verstappen over the final two race weekends of the season, resulted in the other 18 drivers playing a prank on them at the end of year F1 drivers’ dinner, by seating them next to each other.
British MC raises Verstappen/Russell row
Realising he now had the crowd in the palm of his hand, the MC milked the humour even further. ”Where is George? Have you two kissed and made up yet?” He quipped.
“I’m absolutely loving this beef by the way, but how could any one beef with George Russell?,“ Whitehall asked with fake incredulity. “He’s the nicest guy ever. If George Russell wasn’t driving racing cars he’d be on tick tock with a GoPro on his wheezing over trays.”
Russell of course had an emotional rant in Qatar after the pair almost came together during qualifying and accused Max of being a “bully.” While Verstappen responded claiming the Mercedes’ driver had lied about to the stewards about the situation stating dramatically: “In my whole career, I’ve never experienced what I have experienced in the stewards room in Qatar, and for me, that was really unacceptable.“
Whitehall continued, “George of course is now this season the main man at Mercedes and is the second sexiest man to come out of Kings Lynn. Oh Yes…. Martin Brundle is in the house,” he announced to rapturous screams and cheers.
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MC rips into Hamilton’s fashion sense
The production team then tee’d up another joke for the MC as he claimed the next James Bond actor was present at the event [camera cuts to Idris Elba]. Whitehall apologies, saying “oh I didn’t mean him,” then declared | “I mean the legend that is Martin Brundle.”
Lewis Hamilton too was unable to avoid the whit and repartees of the comedian. Having been announced to further screams and cheers as the seven times champion, Whitehall continued: “A man who is always the centre of attention. When he’s not careering around the track or peacocking across the paddock like a fortnite character – LEWIS HAMILTON.” The reference was of strangely dressed Comicon characters and the camera caught Hamilton on the big screen where his look quickly changed to one of amusement despite being the butt of the joke.
Toto Wolff was next in line to suffer at the hands of Whitehalls ruthless Mickey taking. “Lewis of course is on the Ferrari table tonight… pray for Toto… its everyone’s worst nightmare when your partner of ten years is running off with an Italian stallion.”
“We’re gonna be seeing Lewis in the red of Ferrari for the first time this evening. What a moment that is going to be. Toto, I hope you’ve changed your eyeballs to wets.”
Leclerc escapes the ribbing
As an MC at times Whitehall appeared to have been well briefed, but in fact someone who doesn’t live Formula One. Of course Hamilton spent 12 years at Mercedes, not ten and was seen in the red of Ferrari at recent tests in both Italy and Spain.
The final target for Jack Whitehall’s opening warm up of the crowd was Hamilton’s new team mate, though the Monegasque was treated more kindly as the MC described him as “the most handsome man on the grid. Its the man my fiancé imagines when we make love – hell its the man I imagine when my fiancé and I make love – Its Charles Leclerc, who garnered the second longest acclamation from the audience.
The event was two hours long and at times the cheese was dripping from the lips of the various presenters as the attempted humour. Having set his stall out to dislike the event as he did with inaugural Netflix series, Drive to survive, it was planned that neither Max Verstappen nor his team mate were interviews as the RB21 was revealed.
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Gordon Ramsey mocks FIA swearing rule
Rather the team had flashing on the giant screen, “The rebel team” and were joined by a load of fast and furious style petrol heads apparently; y from London, who danced and bounced their way on and off accompanying the Red Bull drivers.
All in all the scale of the special effects was mesmerising. The video footage of Enzo Ferrari moving and nostalgic but for some th ehjigh point was the absence of the FIA, which was cheered when, the topics of swearing was discussed with legendary potty mouth chef, Gordon Ramsey.
Ramsey appealed to the crowd saying that swearing is all part of the industry and of a driver swears “no one should give a SHIT.”
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Formula One has experienced explosive expansion in recent years, with a record-breaking 24-race calendar for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. While many in the paddock argue that this is the upper limit of what teams and personnel can take, former VCARB team principal Franz Tost has a very different perspective.
Known for his no-nonsense approach and outspoken nature, Tost believes that concerns about overworked mechanics are exaggerated. He believes that the current workload in F1 is much lighter than in previous eras, and has no sympathy for those who complain about long hours.
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FIA’s absence from the event was indeed weird.
The booing aimed at them when mentioned & logo displayed was understandable, given everything they’ve done or has happened regarding them in the recent past.
If only MBS were in attendance.