F1 issue MAJOR 2025 announcement as fans fume at new signing

lando norris, lewis hamilton, max verstappen, f1, canva, socials — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Off the Track

F1 issue MAJOR 2025 announcement as fans fume at new signing

Formula 1's launch event at the O2 is fast approaching

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 17 February 2025 13:05 Updated: 23:03

An official Formula 1 announcement has been hit with mixed reviews, as the sport prepares for a mouth-watering 2025 season.

Lewis Hamilton's switch to Ferrari has built extra hype around a season in which the battles for both championship titles appear to be wide open.

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Whereas both 2023 and 2024 started with a feeling of inevitability around Max Verstappen and Red Bull's dominance, 2025 has a fresh feel, with a plethora of driver moves taking place as a result of Hamilton's historic transfer.

F1's 75th anniversary is also being celebrated this year, with a unique event set to take place at London's O2 Arena on February 18, 2025, to celebrate the historic occasion.

F1 stars are set to take to the O2 Arena in London

If you fancy experiencing the thrills of F1 in style, grab your hospitality tickets by clicking here to go to any of the grands prix on the 2025 calendar!

What is the F175 live event?

All 20 drivers, 10 teams and team principals are expected to be present at the F1 extravaganza to kick off the upcoming season, with the teams' 2025 cars being unveiled in one central location alongside performances from a variety of musical guests.

Some teams have decided to still have their own unveiling party for their 2025 challenger, including Williams and McLaren, but they have done so using a special one-off livery as to save the full design reveal for the 15,000 fans at the O2 Arena.

Those not lucky enough to get a ticket will still be able to watch the event on Sky Sports F1, or for FREE via the official F1 YouTube channel.

F1 provides nail-biting entertainment from 24 insane destinations, to catch all the live action, exclusively with Sky Sports, click here.

Who is presenting F175 Live at the O2?

With just one day to go until the event, F1 have announced the presenting lineup for the highly anticipated show, with one new signing proving to be a real talking point on social media.

Familiar F1 faces Lawrence Barretto, Laura Winter and Ariana Bravo will be joined by award-winning comedian Jack Whitehall at the showcase event.

Bad Education and Fresh Meat star Whitehall will bring a different feel to the event, providing it with more of an entertainment factor, but not everyone appeared happy with the announcement.

"Why is he presenting an F1 event? Shocking," one fan commented on Instagram, while another user said: "Ugh. I'm out. Whitehall? Really?"

One social media user was not happy about Whitehall's lack of a background in F1, stating: "Could’ve had anyone who actually cares about the sport."

Meanwhile, some fans were a little more positive about the move: "Could’ve been worse. You could’ve had James Corden presenting instead," one user quipped, while another was happy to see Whitehall: "That’s such a pleasant surprise lol."

Whitehall's previous meeting with Hamilton was also pointed out by one user, after the Brit had joked with the comedian about not having a driving licence: "The guy whom Lewis roasted for not having a licence. We love Jack though!!"

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Written by

Sam Cook - Digital Journalist

Sam Cook is a talented young sports journalist and social media professional who now specialises in Formula 1, having previously worked as a football journalist and a local news reporter for a variety of different brands.

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