F1 2024: What we can learn from each car launch
Formula 1 has broken into the mainstream pop culture recently, with the success of Netflix 'Drive to Survive' and the increased accessibility of content through social media and streaming services.
The sport is synonymous with pushing the boundaries since its inception in 1950 and car launches have been no exception in the past.
Whether it’s been McLaren shutting down the Valencia city centre for a lavish street festival in 2007 or Benetton in 2001 paying a reported $500,000 to reveal their new car in the heart of Venice, car launches have always been a major talking point of the season.
Unfortunately, in recent years, car launches have become a tick box to please the sponsors and investors. Most launches have followed the simple formula of 15–30-minute livestream, answering questions given by their PR teams with the car taking centre stage briefly. In 2024, this has been no exception.
The worst offender of this is Mercedes. The car was on show immediately and lost all sense of what fans were looking for in a car reveal. The suspense, that feeling of excitement and anticipation, all lost because of carelessness and lack of planning. I suspect Lewis Hamilton was wishing he was wearing red instead in 2024. This launch was not an engaging experience in any aspect.
For a car that looks the same every single year, Red Bull had one of the more interesting car launches. Their 2024 challenger was housed in a large rectangular frame with bright flashing imagery being displayed on the frame. It was then lifted in dramatic fashion, revealing the car.
Ferrari followed a similar format to Red Bull with interviews taking most of the reveal, but with the car launch itself, it was completed via CGI, which is a modern solution for a car reveal.
Alpine held a full launch event, with hundreds of guests being housed at a venue in London. This was engaging because they had a nice mixture of exciting content alongside the real-life car launch.
Our friends at Aston Martin have masterfully combined their F1 car launch with their latest sportscar model, Vantage. I’m surprised more F1 teams that also manufacture road cars don’t do this more frequently as it is a direct example of showcasing race car technology for the road. The launch presentation featured their drivers alongside all three cars with a phenomenal background and lighting display.
The rest of the grid stayed relatively safe and the same, with no real ingenuity or drama.
Hopefully, the lack of drama with the car launches will not translate to the on-track action this year as we look forward to if anyone can stop the all dominant pairing of Red Bull and Verstappen pairing.
Remember, if you need help creating an engaging car or product launch, get in touch with the Blueprint team who'd love to help you out.
