There was a time, especially in the 90s and 2000s, when teams – top teams in particular – competed in imagination and daring to put on memorable launch shows. In 1997, the Spice Girls performed in the middle of the presentation of the McLaren MP4-12, in the setting of the luxurious Alexandra Palace in London. For its last year in F1 in 2001, Benetton is thinking big with a presentation on Saint Mark's Square of the B201. The car is transported by riveron a small boat to the heart of the city.
Then, the time to save money came and, in recent years, the launches of new F1 cars have often been limited to very consensual “keynotes” or even online presentations with 3D renderings of the new car. Nothing to dream about.
Since Liberty Media took the reins in 2017, it is clear that Formula 1 is once again becoming, for better and sometimes for “worse”, a mega show and this should take another step forward next year. Formula 1 has announced a ground-breaking season launch event at London's O2 which will feature all teams, their drivers and crew chiefs, plus top-notch entertainment – ahead of the 2025 campaign, which will mark 75 years of the discipline.
All together, all together!
For the first time in F1 history, all 10 teams on the grid – Alpine, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Haas, Kick Sauber, McLaren, Mercedes, RB, Red Bull and Williams – as well as their 20 drivers and respective team managers will gather with fans for a special evening. This world premiere event will take place between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on February 18, 2025 at The O2, London. During the interactive event, guests can also look forward to interviews with key figures in the sport, including drivers and team principals, as well as top entertainment presenters and special guests.
Formula 1 continues to evolve at high speed. Other major changes could occur in the coming years, including the implementation of a rotation of races in Europe. With a calendar that is not infinitely expandable, but new lucrative projects knocking at the door (in Africa in particular, potentially a return to Argentina, etc.), the old continent, the historic cradle of the discipline, is seeing its place shrinks year after year. And the new projects emerging in Europe would undoubtedly be to the detriment of races already present, such as the arrival of Madrid which would overshadow Barcelona.
