Red Bull boss Christian Horner booed, F1 big wigs brutally sledged at season launch
Red Bull’s boss received a frosty reception from a British crowd at F1’s glitzy season launch as team bosses were sledged from all angles.
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Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was booed at F1 75 Live season launch on Wednesday (AEDT) in a sign of how many F1 fans view Red Bull.
All 10 teams unveiled their new cars and liveries for the 2025 season at a glitzy event at London’s O2 Arena honouring F1’s 75th anniversary, with all 20 drivers and team bosses in attendance.
Horner, who has been Red Bull team principal for 20 years now, remains in the top job following an internal investigation into allegations made by a female colleague about his behaviour.
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As Horner was introduced to the stage, the crowd at the venue on British soil booed the 51-year-old in a very frosty reception. You can watch Horner get booed in the video below.
Horner seemed puzzled by the boos, saying: “Is that...well it’s fantastic to be here in the O2 anyway. I hope you’re all having a good evening.”
Body language expert Darren Stanton told OLBG: “His fake smile is what we call a case of a classic masking expression.
“He begins to also verbally address the booing but stops himself and then tries to skate over it, which means he was perturbed and affected by it. We see that fake smile. He is clearly embarrassed.
“He is a little bit surprised and shocked but the overriding emotion is one of embarrassment because obviously he thinks he is the top dog despite the fact that people were loudly booing him.
Verstappen and his new Red Bull teammate Liam Lawson were the only two drivers not to speak during their team unveiling.
The Athletic’s Luke Smith wrote: “The boos that greeted Christian Horner and, to a lesser extent, Verstappen, indicate how many fans still view Red Bull.
Madeline Coleman also wrote: “We know how many fans feel about Red Bull, but to be able to hear how loud the boos were towards Horner compared to Verstappen and the cheers that Liam Lawson received was receiving.”
The FIA was also greeted with boos when they were mentioned.
The governing body was criticised for several rulings last season, particularly a ban on drivers on swearing in press conferences that became somewhat of a laughing stock in the paddock.
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay was at the event and was asked about the ban on expletives.
“These athletes push themselves to the extreme,” he said.
“So sometimes if it comes out, let them be real … they are live every time.
“They’re travelling over 200 miles an hour. So if the s*** …,” he said before he was cut off.
Comedian Jack Whitehall replied: “You’re not getting asked back next year” in one of several gags he delivered while hosting the season launch.
Whitehall described Horner’s wife, former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, as the Red Bull supremo’s “plus one” in another cutting comment.
He also jokingly introduced Verstappen as “one man who really wants to be here”.
Whitehall joked: “Cheer up Max, it could’ve been worse, we didn’t see you next to George Russell. Where is George? Have you two kissed and made up yet?”
That was of course in reference to last year’s feud when Russell accused Verstappen of threatening to deliberately crash into him. The Dutchman said at the time he “lost all respect” for Russell for his conduct in a stewards meeting.
Whitehall also sledged Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff over Lewis Hamilton’s much publicised move to Ferrari after winning six world championships with the Silver Arrows.
“Lewis of course on the Ferrari table tonight. Pray for Toto,” Whitehall quipped.
“It’s everyone’s worst nightmare. Your partner of 10 years running off with an Italian stallion. Toto I hope you changed your eyeballs to wets.”
"I got lost in Charles Leclerc's eyes, you can't look at me like that, I am bit flustered now."
— tami. (@Vetteleclerc) February 18, 2025
ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ pic.twitter.com/4RbiTtis5Z
Whitehall also described Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc as the “most handsome man on the grid”.
He joked: “Sorry I got lost in Charles Leclerc’s eyes, he can’t look at me honestly, just look somewhere else. I’m flustered now.”
F1 pre-season testing will be held in Bahrain later this month before the 2025 season gets underway at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 13-16.
Australia’s Oscar Piastri is expected to be one of the championship contenders as McLaren looks to win the constructors championship again.
Originally published as Red Bull boss Christian Horner booed, F1 big wigs brutally sledged at season launch
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