No decision yet on 2026 F1 group launch event

Mar.18 (GMM) Formula 1 is still deciding if it will hold a group launch of the new team liveries each and every year.

Although it was not very popular among the drivers, the sport’s newest constituent of fans was very happy with ‘F1-75’, held at O2 arena in London.

“You can see very well that young women are the target group where the sport is growing the fastest,” Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said.

He said this was particularly noticeable in the autograph area as the drivers entered the paddock in Melbourne.

“There were about 2000 people there and 80 percent of them are girls,” he smiled. “That also shows that the impact of young drivers and social media are really catching on.”

Predictably, however, Red Bull – whose boss Christian Horner and driver Max Verstappen were booed by the O2 crowd – is not so keen on the F1-75-style launch concept.

“The 75th anniversary of Formula 1 justified it,” team advisor Dr Helmut Marko told Servus TV, “but I can’t imagine doing it every year now.

“It was a pro-(Lewis) Hamilton audience. You could really feel that.”

In fact, the FIA even issued a statement condemning the booing. “It was certainly nothing that we asked for,” Horner insisted. “I didn’t have any conversation with the FIA following the event.”

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said a decision has not been taken about whether the same sort of event will also take place for 2026.

“For sure, there is a lot of interest from different promoters from different places in the world, that would like to, let’s say, consider it as a 25th grand prix to launch the season,” the Italian admitted.

“We’re going to make the decision very, very soon.”