P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff “doesn’t think” Max Verstappen was booed at the F1 season launch in London last week, despite the FIA releasing a statement.
Jos Verstappen, the father of the reigning World Champion, declared that his son will not attend a similar event in England if it happens again, due to the alleged booing of Max and Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner being deemed unacceptable by him. However, Mercedes’ Toto Wolff, present at the same event for the team’s launch, stated he did not hear any negative reception towards Max. Wolff and reporter Craig Slater both expressed doubt that Max was booed, with consensus that Horner faced the brunt of it during the Red Bull car launch. The FIA denounced the booing as a “tribalist reaction” and defended Max and Christian’s contributions to the sport. Despite differing accounts, Wolff emphasized the need to focus on the positive aspects of the event, praising the spectators, car presentations, and setting a new format for the future. The strained relationship between Wolff and Horner has been evident in recent years, frequently played out in public and on media platforms like Drive to Survive. Wolff humorously denied booing Horner, attributing it to the 15,000 other attendees who did so.
