Horner disappointed Verstappen was subject to boos at F1 75 LIVE

The governing FIA urged fans to show more respect in a statement at the weekend while Verstappen's father Jos suggested the four-times world champion might not attend such an event in England in future.

Horner said Red Bull had not had any conversation with the FIA after the event and their comments reflected the body's ongoing campaign to stamp out online abuse.

Comparing the event at the O2 Arena to "launching your away strip in a home fans' stadium", Horner said fans would always show more support for their own teams and drivers and accepted sport was polarising.

"I guess the only disappointment that I had with it was that the reception to Max as a four-time world champion was disappointing. If the launches had been in Holland, no doubt the reception would have been somewhat different," ventured Horner.

Last week, an FIA spokesperson commented: “As such, it was disappointing to hear the crowd’s tribalist reaction to FIA Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen and his Red Bull Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner, at the F1 launch in London."

McLaren boss Zak Brown, whose 2025 Formula 1 constructors' title-winning drivers received plenty of applause on the night, said the fans were just voicing their opinion: "I've never been to a sporting event that's been quiet, where someone's not yelling at a football player for missing a goal, or in ice hockey or baseball.

"Sport brings out passion in fans, and they cheer and they boo. I didn't hear anything that was other than cheering and booing. I've certainly seen a lot worse on social media... Everyone has a favourite team, a favourite driver, a less favourite side. I just think that's sport.

"I didn't think there was anything visceral or violent, and you definitely see other sports that have had riots break out. That was fans doing what fans do, they kind of voice their opinion on who they are cheering for or not," explained Brown.

Asked if he booed during the F1 75 event, Mercedes boss Toto Wolf, often at loggerheads with Horner in the past, said: "I wasn't booing. There were 15,000 people doing that - it wasn't necessary that I did that! We shouldn't talk an event down that was mega just because one single individual, rightly or wrongly, was booed when he spoke.

"It was a great event, the spectators were great, the presentation of the cars was good and it sets a new format for years to come. That is the positive we need to take from that," added Wolff.

After the night at O2 Arena, Verstappen's father Jos made it clear: "Max doesn't feel like being booed in front of 15,000 people. He also said if this [F1 launch] is in England again next year, they certainly won't see me there, and I completely agree with him."

Verstappen and the entire Formula 1 world are in Bahrain for three days of pre-season testing, the first day was today.