Formula One Launches 2025 Season in Style

Formula One kicks off the 2025 season with a spectacular launch event in London, showcasing the latest cars and drivers.

Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula One world champion, made a striking appearance in Ferrari red for the first time outside of Italy. This historic moment occurred during an unprecedented 10-team season launch event, which drew a crowd of 15,000 enthusiastic fans on Tuesday.

Charles Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton. Together in front of the world as Ferrari team mates 😍#F175LIVE @ScuderiaFerrari pic.twitter.com/sZggxDsxpJ

— Formula 1 (@F1) February 18, 2025

Hamilton, who has switched from Mercedes, received a thunderous ovation from the audience when he took the stage. The event coincided with the birthday of Enzo Ferrari, the late founder of Hamilton's new Italian team. “I feel so full of life, so much energy, because everything's new and I'm just focused on what is up ahead,” Hamilton exclaimed, addressing his home crowd at London's O2 Arena.

Hamilton's enthusiasm was palpable as he expressed his pride in joining Ferrari. “I'm so proud to be part of the team. Something new and exciting for me,” he stated, clearly energized by this new chapter in his illustrious career.

The atmosphere is ELECTRIC for Lewis Hamilton in London 🇬🇧#F175LIVE @LewisHamilton pic.twitter.com/csNtVyUZED

— Formula 1 (@F1) February 18, 2025

The 10-team season launch event was a spectacular two-hour show, featuring a lively mix of lights, lasers, and musical acts. British comedian Jack Whitehall hosted the event, playfully teasing the drivers and teams throughout. The entertainment lineup included performances by former boy band Take That and US country singer Kane Brown.

All 20 drivers. One epic show. The class of Formula 1 in 2025 🤩#F175LIVE pic.twitter.com/slZnmLR3z1

— Formula 1 (@F1) February 18, 2025

Formula One's YouTube channel achieved a significant milestone during the event, surpassing one million viewers and shattering the previous live-event record of 289,000. This accomplishment underscored the excitement and anticipation surrounding the new season.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner emphasized the importance of the fans in an interview before the event. “This event is all about the fans and without the fans there is no sport,” he stated. Horner acknowledged that the drivers might not have been thrilled about being paraded in front of a large crowd, but he noted that Formula One is, at its core, a form of entertainment. “I'm sure it's probably the last place that the drivers want to be, paraded out in front of a stadium full of fans, but Formula One is an entertainment, it's a show, and it's the 75th anniversary (of the championship).” Horner praised the effort put into the event by Formula One and all 10 teams, saying, “So a huge amount of effort has gone into tonight by Formula One and all 10 teams.”

Formula One has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, with its surging popularity and revenues fostering a newfound sense of cooperation among teams. Gone are the days when teams struggled to agree on even the most basic details. Instead, the sport has become a well-oiled machine, with all 10 teams coming together for a spectacular season launch event.

The event's massive success can be attributed, in part, to the growing popularity of Formula One, fueled by the Netflix docu-series Drive to Survive and the upcoming Hollywood drama F1, starring Brad Pitt. Tickets for the event sold out in a matter of minutes, and the show, featuring all 20 drivers, was broadcast live around the world and streamed on social media.

The electric atmosphere at the event was palpable, with McLaren chief executive Zak Brown likening it to a rock concert. “It feels like there's a big rock concert about and ready to happen,” Brown told reporters earlier. Brown has long been an advocate for more fan-centric events, saying, “I've been a fan for a while of doing more fan events, whether that's a launch or making the testing that we do a little bit more focused on the fan.”

Each of the 10 Formula One teams was allocated a brief seven-minute window to unveil their 2025 liveries. The cars showcased were either repainted older models or specially designed, engineless shells created solely for display purposes, with no intention of ever hitting the track. Notably, Red Bull's car was equipped with an engine, whereas Sauber had pre-announced plans to auction off their display car after the event. Meanwhile, Ferrari, last year's runners-up, has scheduled a separate launch for their 2025 car at Maranello on Wednesday, while McLaren and Williams had already showcased their interim liveries at Silverstone last week.