Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton appeared in Ferrari red for the first time outside of Italy as Formula One put on an unprecedented and spectacular 10-team season launch in front of 15,000 fans on Tuesday.
The 40-year-old Briton, who has moved from Mercedes, got the loudest cheer of the night when he took the stage for an event that coincided with the birthday of his Italian team’s late founder, Enzo.
“I feel so full of life, so much energy, because everything’s new, and I’m just focused on what is up ahead,” Hamilton told his home crowd at London’s 02 Arena.
Photo: Reuters
“I’m so proud to be part of the team. Something new and exciting for me,” he said.
The two-hour show, with British comedian and host Jack Whitehall gently ribbing the protagonists, featured lights, lasers and musical acts including former boy band Take That and US country singer Kane Brown.
Liberty Media-owned Formula One said early in the evening that their YouTube channel had smashed through the 1 million viewers mark, breaking a previous live-event record of 289,000.
Photo: Reuters
“This event is all about the fans, and without the fans there is no sport,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told reporters before the show started.
“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],” he said. “So a huge amount of effort has gone into tonight by Formula One and all 10 teams.”
There was a time when the teams struggled to agree even on what day it was, but Formula One’s surging popularity and revenues have concentrated minds.
The success of Netflix docu-series Drive to Survive, and the arrival in cinemas later this year of Brad Pitt’s Hollywood drama F1, led to tickets for the event selling out in a matter of minutes.
The show, featuring all 20 drivers, was broadcast live worldwide and streamed on social media.
“It feels like there’s a big rock concert about and ready to happen,” the US’ Zak Brown, chief executive of champions McLaren, told reporters earlier.
“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,” he said.
The teams each had just seven minutes to present their liveries — the cars either old ones repainted or engineless shells made just for show that would not go anywhere near a circuit.
Red Bull’s at least had an engine in it, but Sauber had announced well in advance that theirs would be auctioned off after the event.
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