'Tribalist' booing of Verstappen and Red Bull condemned by FIA

The hostile reception given to Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner has been condemned by F1 governing body the FIA.

The reigning world champion was booed when shown on the big screens at the O2 Arena, before the team took to the stage to launch their 2025 livery. When taking the microphone, Horner was also given a mixed reaction by the fans in attendance.

Earlier in the night, any mention of the FIA was also given a frosty reaction by the vocal fans in attendance.

Following the event, the governing body released a statement condemning the reaction, calling it ‘tribalist’ while promoting their campaign to reduce online abuse.

"Great rivalries throughout the history of motorsport have contributed to making it such an exciting experience for fans," an FIA spokesperson said. "But what underpins sport at all levels is a culture of respect.

“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.

"Max and Christian have both contributed greatly to the sport we love. In the season ahead we should not lose sight of that.

"As part of the FIA's commitment to protect the integrity of the sport, we are leading a coalition tackling online abuse in sport under the banner of our United Against Online Abuse campaign.

"We stand with all of our competitors, officials, volunteers, and fans to unite against this growing threat. We urge the sporting community to consider the impact of their actions both online and offline."