Max Verstappen joked that he could not hear any jeers in his direction at F1 75 Live last week before adding that the matter was “not worth his time.”
Four-time F1 world champion Verstappen appeared on screen to a mixed reception, with initial boos being drowned out eventually by cheers, after being introduced by host Jack Whitehall in London last Tuesday.
Christian Horner, Verstappen’s boss at Red Bull, also received jeers as he entered the stage in The O2 ahead of his team’s car livery reveal for the 2025 season. Verstappen and teammate Liam Lawson were also the only drivers not to be interviewed on stage during the event.
Jos Verstappen, Max’s father and former F1 driver, told RaceXpress over the weekend that it was “unacceptable” that his son was booed by the 15,000-strong crowd and said Max would boycott any future F1 launch events in England.
Asked about the jeers on Thursday, Verstappen replied: “There was any booing? Maybe I'm deaf!
“I don't really need to talk about it, it's not worth my time."
Horner said on Wednesday that he found the boos directed at his driver “disappointing.”
“It was a big event, obviously all the teams put a lot of effort into it, which was interesting to see,” Horner said, at pre-season testing in Bahrain.
"Of course launching your car is a bit like launching your away strip in a home fans’ stadium, so fans will always back the teams and drivers that they want to. Of course we’ve been the protagonists over the years.
“The only disappointment I had with it was the reaction to Max as a four-time world champion, that was disappointing. But passion in sport is always going to be there.
“If the launch had been in Holland, no doubt the reception would have been somewhat different.”
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, however, dismissed the complaints over the jeers and stated the event was “mega.”
It comes after the FIA, F1’s governing body who were also booed as their logo appeared on screen last week, released a statement criticising the “tribalist” reaction of British fans.
Sources have told The Independent that a similar launch event next year is unlikely, due to the need for more pre-season testing time given new engine and chassis regulations coming into effect, but no final decision has been made.
Pre-season testing takes place in Bahrain this week, with the first race in Australia on 16 March.
