F1's new season launch event at London's O2 Arena achieved mixed success, delivering both memorable moments and areas for improvement.

The event featured rolling press conferences throughout the day, with nine teams participating in media sessions. Only Ferrari opted out of the daytime activities.

Machine Gun Kelly opened the evening show to an enthusiastic crowd, followed by host Jack Whitehall's well-received performance. Whitehall's uncensored humor effectively poked fun at both the sport and drivers, landing particularly well with the audience.

Key highlights included:

• Strong crowd engagement during early team presentations
• Lewis Hamilton receiving the biggest cheers in Ferrari red
• Successful interaction between drivers and fans
• Mixed reception for team principals, with Christian Horner facing some hostility

Areas needing improvement:

• Repetitive team presentation format
• Declining energy levels midway through
• Limited physical car demonstrations
• Outdated closing act (Take That) missing the target audience
• Some drivers' minimal participation, notably Max Verstappen

Carlos Sainz summarized the event well, acknowledging its potential while recognizing room for refinement: "The fundamental idea to bring all teams together to create a launch of the season makes sense."

Despite its imperfections, the event successfully:

• Created pre-season excitement
• Connected teams with fans directly
• Established a promising foundation for future season launches
• Demonstrated F1's strong fan engagement potential

The inaugural F1 75 Live launch proved that while the format needs refining, there's clear appetite for pre-season fan events that bring the sport closer to its audience.

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