How F1's London launch event offers opportunities yet also takes them away
General
- Ludo van Denderen
Formula 1 will usher in the 2025 season with a special event in London in mid-February. At the O2 Arena, the ten teams will present their new cars—or at least the livery—and fans can admire the 20 drivers and their team bosses. Upfront, this unique event has pros and cons.
For many die-hard fans, it was always a moment to look forward to: One by one, the teams presented their cars to the public, always accompanied by a hopeful message. Without having driven a single kilometre, the drivers and team members then expressed their joy about the car, which always looks—in their eyes—fast. They also talked about the goals they wanted to achieve.
Why London is a missed opportunity
Next season, these launches will not take place individually. Instead, they will happen on the same night in the same place: in London. Tickets for this will undoubtedly be sold out in no time when they go on sale on Friday. While it is sure to be a glorious night celebrating F1, it is still a shame that the sport chose London as the venue.
Just at a time when non-Brits - fans and drivers - feel that F1 should remain primarily a British party after all, the sport could have made a nice statement by opting for, say, Berlin, Rome, Madrid or even Amsterdam. These are cities where the venue would be filled to the brim. Of course, from a logistical point of view, one can understand why London was chosen, as most teams are located in Britain. However, getting a few trucks with some show models of F1 cars to mainland Europe is also not that difficult.
'Small' teams miss a moment in the spotlight
In recent years, the launch of the new cars has been a moment for every team to grab the spotlight, which is nice for the staff and very nice for the sponsors. Certainly, the 'smaller' teams in the sport thus benefited from publicity that is harder to get during a Grand Prix weekend. They will certainly have attention in London, but the front pages of all newspapers will show the new cars of Red Bull Racing, Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren anyway.
A quick cycle through several F1 teams reveals they are considering scheduling their own (media) moment after the London event. For example, Mercedes and Aston Martin have told GPblog that their plans are still being finalised.
Yet there are also teams that see the new event as a huge opportunity. Take Haas F1, for example, which—with the exception of the 2019 season—always launches the new car via a message on its website. Haas informs this site that the event does not take away any publicity but actually increases it.