Disappointing 2023 F1 Team Launches – A Series of Unimpressive Presentations

Generally, the launch of new season cars should take place under honorable and jovial conditions, accompanied by festive moments and a motivating and reassuring speech from the leaders. The launch of the Ferrari SF23 was a perfect example of this. However, the launches of Red Bull, AlphaTauri, Haas, Williams, and Alfa Romeo in 2023 were not impressive.

Budget issues, it seems. They are starting their season rather quietly, but they will probably be fully prepared. However. At the start of the season, the management of the teams doesn’t seem to instill much confidence.

Following a first half that was mostly unsatisfactory and occasionally even misleading, the 2023 Formula 1 car launch season has made a comeback this week with a series of impressive and informative events.

Even though a team’s launch quality has no influence on its likelihood of winning a world championship, it remains a crucial aspect to get right, particularly as F1’s fanbase is expanding.

Here is our list of the 10 F1 teams, ranked from the least successful to the most successful.

AlphaTauri

The individual elements of AlphaTauri’s launch were not necessarily poor. However, it is ranked lower because it established a false expectation.

Although the various parts of AlphaTauri’s launch were not inherently negative, it ranks lower due to the establishment of false expectations. They promised a New York launch, but this element was essentially a party during Fashion Week for invited guests. The (truly impressive) car launch video featuring Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries was shot in New York, and the brief glimpse of them, some clothing models, and a show car in 2023 colors was also in New York. However, viewers (especially in the European audience) who had stayed up late on Saturday night were left with a distinct feeling of “Is that it?” when the video abruptly ended.

AlphaTauri’s new car media kit was extensive and educational, so the issue was really that the expectations set were deceptive.

If they had presented it as a premade video release of the car and livery, along with an exclusive New York party featuring a show car, it would have been acceptable. The problem was that there was an implication that what would be aired would be more comparable to this week’s live launches or even AlphaTauri’s fashion-themed 2020 launch, which led to disappointment.

Haas

One could make the case that Haas ought to be at the bottom of this ranking because it was the sole team that did not make any effort to organize an actual launch event.

However, Haas earns points for making realistic promises and fully delivering on them.

Haas announced that it would reveal its new MoneyGram livery via renders based on the previous car, and it followed through on that commitment.

Haas also promised to shake down the new car at Silverstone a week and a half later and release some images at that time, which it did, in addition to conducting a few interviews.

Given the arrival of a significant US-based title sponsor, some might have anticipated a lavish Haas launch. Nonetheless, Haas achieved all the essential objectives of a launch – revealing the livery, showcasing the car, and discussing it – without resorting to any unnecessary extravagance. It was perfectly sufficient, and that is intended as praise.

Red Bull F1 Team

If you recall the first significant F1 2023 launch event, you may recollect the unpleasant combination of bewilderment, animosity, tedium, and disappointment that arose while observing the ‘RB19’ launch.

Having possibly overlooked the resemblance to last year’s event, the world patiently waited for an hour for a vehicle that will, in any case, appear entirely different from the Red Bull that will arrive in Bahrain next week.

To compound matters, the New York launch included a deluge of interviews with Red Bull athletes who had no association with F1, and there was no mention or discussion with Red Bull’s actual junior drivers or athletes competing in other motorsports.

The presenting team seemed awkward, and even conversations with F1-relevant individuals like team principal Christian Horner were notably lacking in substance.

All of this was from Red Bull, a brand that is well-versed in entertaining and innovating in ways that other teams can only aspire to achieve.

However, in the case of its 2023 car launch, it left a displeasing impression on anyone who had devoted an hour to watch it.

To add insult to injury, Red Bull declared that it was unveiling its 2023 car when it was evident that the launch car was anything but that.

Gary Anderson’s concise assessment, “What a waste of time, effort, and money for all involved,” was highly accurate.

The presenting team’s uncertainty about whether F1 boss Stefano Domenicali was even present in the room speaks volumes about the inadequate preparation of this launch.

The letdown of that launch might even make you overlook the fact that the day did involve the announcement of a collaboration with Ford, a significant piece of news that should have been capitalized on and adequately commemorated.

Williams

Given the limitations that it faced, the Williams “season launch” was well-organized, and, crucially, the team was always candid and straightforward about precisely what it would unveil.

Since there was no 2023 car, and the new livery only included a small deviation from last year’s design with Gulf incorporated, it was impossible not to be underwhelmed when the covers were removed. However, that was all the team had to work with, so it could not have launched anything else!

The launch event itself was brief and to the point, with key figures such as the drivers making an appearance. The absence of the new team principal James Vowles was due to the fact that he had not yet started working for the team.

The media also had the opportunity to hear from the drivers and other critical personnel, with Head of Vehicle Performance Dave Robson divulging a few essential details about the 2023 car before its on-track debut a week later.

Alfa Romeo

There was not a great deal that was wrong with Alfa Romeo’s car launch.

Alfa Romeo’s car launch included elements that were well-received by the audience, such as Valtteri Bottas’s best jokes, a brief appearance from new Audi F1 CEO Andreas Seidl, and a reasonably informative Q&A session with the media, initiated with our very own Kent kiz appearance.

However, the launch lacked some of the enchantment of the teams higher up on this list, as it felt rather formulaic, and the debut of new personnel like new team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi failed to generate much excitement, while one of the most significant talking points of the off-season, Seidl, sat silently a few feet away from him.

Furthermore, the sight of six men huddled around a relatively small table gave the impression of a low-budget quiz show, and the studio audience seemed uncomfortably similar to that of the Jeremy Kyle Show.

Furthermore, the fact that the new car was revealed five minutes into the broadcast with what appeared to be a casual appearance on the virtual banners while Alfa Romeo Technical Director Jan Monchaux and Bravi were being interviewed was slightly confusing.

Overall, Alfa Romeo’s final launch in F1 (for now) was a mixed bag that included decent technical answers, a puzzling car reveal, and a reminder that Bottas is an excellent (and genuinely humorous) personality.

Mclaren F1 Team

McLaren’s launch may have suffered from the high standards it has set in recent years, as it was not quite as impressive as what we have come to anticipate.

On the positive side, it was great that this was one of the infrequent in-person launches, which enabled us to see the car with our own eyes and interact with people in person. The launch was smooth, with a blend of high-quality videos and on-stage interviews, as well as a traditional “unveiling” of the car by removing the sheet.

Additionally, with new team principal Andrea Stella, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, and both drivers all present and available for the media to question, all of whom communicated effectively, there was certainly plenty of material to gather for a season preview.

As Edd Straw frequently emphasizes, the car is the centerpiece of the launch. Access to the car was restricted to seeing it on stage (in a dimly lit room), and any images that were released from the event, while the renders appeared to be somewhat restricted.

Furthermore, the absence of Technical Director James Key, who is an excellent speaker, meant that there was a missed opportunity to get a thorough rundown of what McLaren has done differently with the MCL60 and where the development plan goes from here.

Alpine

On the one hand, the launch was highly detailed on the technical side, and the team was remarkably dedicated to highlighting a worthwhile initiative (the Rac(H)er program). On the other hand, the event was too long and exceedingly disorganized for those of us who were present.

Alpine’s launch shifted from awkward to irritating to impressive to protracted, but at its heart, it checked off most of the essential items in previewing its season by persuading top personnel to speak and set some enjoyable goals, and, more crucially, exhibiting the car enough to get a good grasp of what is new.

In fact, Matt Harman’s explanation of the changes was the most comprehensive presentation of any team this launch season regarding discussing its new design.

What detracted from Alpine’s placement was the boastfulness and inconvenience of it being more of a celebration than a car launch. Additionally, it must lose points for not having an actual car on display, although as far as renders go, they seemed to be of good quality and representative of the actual car.

Mercedes

Soapy is the most appropriate word to describe Mercedes’ launch (and the appearance of its car). It was not precisely no-frills, considering how many events include F1 cars, but there was a certain simplicity to it. Sometimes, less is more.

What was exceptional about the Mercedes launch was its absence of boastfulness. Too many launches featured irrelevant and/or pointless questions (even Alpine’s exceptional segment with Matt Harman fell prey to this with what felt like a scripted prompt about the car’s assembly), but Mercedes’ launch was straightforward and to the point.

The drivers were present, as were the key personnel, and the car was on display. It was that simple.

Although its postscript was not as extensive as usual, with only a demonstration run rather than the anticipated on-track running and the shakedown taking place on Thursday, the Mercedes launch featured all the elements you need and want in a concise, digestible offering. The drip-feed of content we have become accustomed to continued with interviews with Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and Toto Wolff.

Aston Martin

Aston Martin checked off most of the items on anyone’s launch wish list. It launched a genuine 2023 car and assembled a well-produced launch show hosted by Rachel Brookes, during which we heard from the team owner, both drivers, and, crucially, Technical Director Dan Fallows.

The launch was successful for those watching remotely and for those of us who were fortunate enough to be there in person. It was a significant improvement over the somewhat hesitant presentations of the past few seasons.

The media also had the opportunity to participate in sessions with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, as well as one with key senior personnel.

The only downside was that we did not see the car run because it did not hit the track until two days later. However, that would have just been the cherry on top of a very remarkable launch event.

Ferrari SF23

It was not until the media shuttle bus, provided from a hotel in Maranello to the factory, turned towards the Fiorano test track that it became evident that this would not be a traditional launch.

After exiting the bus, we walked through to the press office in front of Enzo Ferrari’s old white house. Behind the back doors of the press office, a race truck and a sign reading “SF23 DEMO DAY” were discovered.

It was undoubtedly not a typical launch. Ferrari’s decision to combine the reveal with an actual track rollout, despite the potential risks of early installation laps, was a daring and brilliant move. It was above and beyond for Ferrari to invite both the media and fans to be a part of the event and broadcast it to the outside world.

As a result, we were able to get a close look at the new car, listen to new team boss Fred Vasseur and both drivers, and it all felt like we had been a part of something genuinely interesting and valuable.

It’s true that the absence of a technical figure has limited Ferrari’s media offering in recent years, and it would have been great to have someone there who could talk through the car better. However, the overall quality of the launch and the opportunity to witness the car’s first track run more than made up for this shortcoming.

However, the overall launch event was a bold and memorable move that set Ferrari apart from the other teams, and it was executed in a way that left a lasting impression on those who were present or watching remotely.

That’s correct! The launch was a unique and impressive approach that gave fans and media an opportunity to witness the car’s debut on track, as well as hear from the key figures within the team. While it wasn’t perfect, the overall execution was highly effective in engaging its various stakeholders.

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