FIA release Verstappen, Horner statement as Hamilton’s latest Ferrari requests uncovered – roundup

Saturday’s fast-paced F1 news includes the FIA’s statement over the booing of Max Verstappen and Christian Horner and the latest on Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari.

Let’s zip through the day’s main F1 headlines at the speed of light…

F1 news: FIA statement on Max Verstappen and Christian Horner, Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, more

FIA issue statement after Max Verstappen and Christian Horner booed

The FIA has issued a statement over the booing of Max Verstappen and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner at F1’s season-launch event in London this week.

Verstappen and Horner were booed when they appeared on stage, with the World Champion and team-mate Liam Lawson the only drivers not to address the audience at the O2 Arena on Tuesday.

PlanetF1.com understands that the decision for Verstappen and Lawson to not to speak was made by Red Bull early in the planning process for the event in a bid to avoid bland and trite comments without substance after a long day of lengthy media commitments.

Read more: FIA issue statement over Max Verstappen and Christian Horner booing

Jos Verstappen blasts ‘shameful’ booing of Max Verstappen and Christian Horner

Jos Verstappen wasn’t impressed by the response of the crowd in the O2 Arena to Christian Horner or his son Max Verstappen.

Mr Verstappen said: “I don’t think that’s acceptable.

“I get it, because Max is the only one who fires up those Englishmen and says exactly how things are. But I don’t think this is acceptable, it’s really a disappointment what happened there.”

Read more: Jos Verstappen speaks out after Max Verstappen and Christian Horner boos

Lewis Hamilton submits more Ferrari requests after SF-25 shakedown

Lewis Hamilton called for more changes to his new Ferrari SF-25 after the car’s shakedown at Fiorano earlier this week, it has been claimed.

And the fixes are expected to arrive in time for the start of pre-season testing in Bahrain next Wednesday (February 26).

It comes after reports that Hamilton was 0.8 seconds slower than new team-mate Charles Leclerc at Fiorano, although the lap times of each driver from the shakedown are believed to be wholly unrepresentative.

Read more: Lewis Hamilton submits fresh Ferrari ‘requests’ after SF-25 shakedown – report

Helmut Marko wary of Lewis Hamilton revival at Ferrari

Helmut Marko fears Lewis Hamilton could “continue where he left off” with his 2021 battle with Max Verstappen if Ferrari provide a competitive car for the F1 2025 season.

Yet he believes the seven-time World Champion’s declining qualifying performance could count against a Hamilton revival if he regularly qualifies “two or three tenths” behind Charles Leclerc.

Hamilton was beaten heavily by George Russell over one lap last year, qualifying behind his Mercedes team-mate at 19 of a possible 24 races.

Read more: ‘Never his strength’ – Helmut Marko spots gaping Lewis Hamilton weakness

Martin Brundle ‘terrified’ of being ‘cancelled’ over Sky F1 grid walk

Martin Brundle has revealed that his iconic grid walk segment is a “terrifying” experience, one that places him a sentence away “from the end.”

Brundle’s grid walk has been a highlight of F1 television coverage in the United Kingdom for decades.

However, the Sky F1 pundit has admitted that he is “terrified of the whole thing.”

Read more: Martin Brundle grid walk: ‘One sentence away from the end’ of Sky F1 career