Toto Wolff defends F1 75 fans amid FIA furore over Max Verstappen and Red Bull being booed

Formula 1’s celebratory 75th anniversary event took place in London to kickstart the new season, featuring livery launches from all 10 teams on the grid.

Every driver was present at the event including Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, despite the former claiming he wanted to miss it at the end of last season.

Each team was given a handful of minutes to introduce their car and livery for the season in front of 15,000 fans at the O2 arena in London, with some receiving mixed receptions compared to others.

Verstappen and Red Bull’s Christian Horner were both booed by fans, with many of them aimed at the team principal when he took to the stage to introduce their car for the season.

The FIA was reportedly not pleased with how Red Bull was treated by fans, with itself also bearing the brunt of some heckles by fans, while Damon Hill also posted a four-word reaction to the governing body’s statement.

Reacting to the news when speaking to Sky Sports, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has defended the format and the fans who were present at the event.

Toto Wolff defends F1 75 fans after booing directed to Max Verstappen and Red Bull

The FIA issued a statement in the wake of the event, saying it was “disappointing” to hear “tribalist reaction” to Verstappen and Horner.

The governing body made reference to its aims to stamp out online abuse, which is partially also the reason why they have issued stricter rules on misconduct into the International Sporting Code for all drivers.