What to expect from F1’s 75th anniversary livery launch in London

It does not take long when scrolling through the expert advice on LinkedIn to stumble across the seven-minute rule – ‘always make sure you speak within that timeframe at the start of a meeting, or you risk losing the room’.

Now Formula 1 will test its own version of the theory when it hosts F175 – its first-ever season livery launch party at London’s O2 Arena next month.

All 10 teams will be in attendance, each allocated seven minutes to make its mark by unveiling its respective car livery ahead of pre-season testing and the first race of the year – the Australian Grand Prix on 16 March – and each team will have a different idea on how best to stand out on the night.

This is not a car launch – some teams have opted to still host their own, separate event – but more about what the respective challengers will look like in terms of colour, sponsors and other aesthetic aspects, while also aiming to bring fans closer during a celebratory year.

Those teams who will stage their more traditional solo launches ahead of F175, Williams for example having announced it will do so on 14 February, have been told their official racing livery must stay under wraps until the O2 event.

The running order will be last season’s constructors’ championship standings in reverse, meaning the evening will begin with Sauber taking to the stage and culminate in McLaren showing off its new look.

Teams can utilise the seven minutes however they want, whether that be video content on a huge screen that will dominate one end of the arena – which sold out in less than 45 minutes when tickets went on sale in November – or conduct interviews with its drivers, team principal or other associated staff.

Whatever a team has planned, its production must be pre-approved by F1 in advance of the evening.

The event will also feature musical performances between the different launches while a compere will oversee proceedings in much the same way as an event like the BRIT Awards.

Those comparisons also extend to the floor, where VIP tables will host special guests, with the ticketed seating in the stands surrounding the venue.

PLUS: Why F1’s single launch will succeed where the last one failed

The event has been planned to help F1 kick-off its 75th anniversary in style and in a way that has never been done before.

It is believed that the year was beneficial in winning the teams around to the idea, given that 2025 is the final season of the current regulations.

Minimal performance changes will therefore be made, as opposed to 2026, when the new rules will bring with it the chance to show off a squad’s interpretation of the new guidelines in as unique and vibrant a way possible.

Autosport understands some teams have already started planning their individual launches for next year.

Group calls were used to iron out the wrinkles that remained, some teams worrying that having a system where one team follows another would not sit well with partners who may have a rival’s branding shown off just moments later.

George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15, Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524, the rest of the field at the start

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

However, all the squads are now very much on board with Ferrari, who were tentative when F175 was first announced, now seeing the chance to use the eye-catching launch as part of its reveal of new signing Lewis Hamilton.

It is believed that organisers are confident all 20 drivers will be attendance, despite world champion Max Verstappen having initially joked that “I hope I am sick that week”. Lando Norris also offered a tongue-in-cheek response as he quipped he might plan a holiday with his 2024 title rival Verstappen instead.

Having all of the drivers present is something that is especially important, not only to the organisers but also to teams that will use the night to host sponsors.

But this is F1, so all 10 teams will be aiming to outdo one another. Seven minutes is a long time in motor racing and being the most memorable presentation will be seen as an early feather in the cap for 2025.

Expected to last in the region of two hours, the event has been welcomed by at least one of the teams further down the grid, as those squads with smaller budgets can take part in a huge launch event funded by the series rather than from its own coffers – giving a rare opportunity to push the boat out.

No-one really knows what will happen on the evening in terms of the presentations and performances but, with Liberty Media pushing F1’s 75th anniversary as a landmark occasion, why not join the likes of the Olympics and the World Cup in hosting your own lavish opening ceremony?