The Formula One Exhibition debuted at the IFEMA Madrid venue in March of 2023 and has steadily been making its way around the globe with Austria and Canada already ticked off. Since August of this year, The F1 Exhibition’s home has been at Immerse LDN on the ExCeL London Waterfront – and will continue to be so until March 2nd 2025. Pit Debrief joined the queue last week with the other patrons interested in experiencing this latest slice of action from the pinnacle of motorsport. Described as an immersive journey through the rich history, technological evolution, and cultural impact of Formula 1 racing – expectation was high.
First on the agenda was navigating our way to the venue and when it comes to the choice of location it was smooth and well signposted. The ExCel London Waterfront was steadily building up with visitors ready for the 9am opening. However, a 9am opening means exactly that so be sure to wrap up warm as the chill from a December waterfront was unforgiving.
To be able to maximise what was on offer, Pit Debrief purchased in advance the more expensive podium package – £78.50 – whereas the general admission for an adult is £33.00 for ages 17+ and £18.00 for children aged 5-16. The Podium Package included: a VIP lanyard pass to wear during the trip and keep as a souvenir; Fast Track entry to the experience; a limited-edition Tote Bag, an F1 Exhibition braded pin badge; a souvenir poster and a digital suite of any photos which you have taken at the ‘photo spots’ during your tour.
Once Upon a Time in Formula One
The exhibition is divided into six principal rooms, each precisely designed to highlight different aspects of Formula 1. Before entering though, you receive a headset and remote control which can be used throughout the tour on certain exhibits to gain more in-depth knowledge. Even before reaching exhibit 1, the headset played roaring engines which really set the mood. To stand in the first room – Once Upon a Time in Formula 1 – and look at the legendary 1961 ‘Sharknose’ Ferrari 156 is already a wonderful experience but one that was certainly enhanced with roaring engines filling your mind as its backing track.
This room blended archival footage, high-definition projections, and an array of classic cars that serve as milestones in F1’s evolution. Here, the real treats could be found but you had to take your time to look for them. Alongside timelines of different evolving periods of the sport, authentic letters and memorabilia are also on display.
One particular highlight for this journalist being a 1954 letter from BRM’s Raymond Mays to Mercedes’ Alfred Neubauer. This letter showed Mercedes’ willingness to allow its star driver to compete for BRM in 1954 and signifies the genteel nature of inter-team relations during F1’s early years. Then further along the wall, Team Lotus’ entry ticket for the 1967 British Grand Prix for ‘Graham Hill’ and ‘Jimmy Clark’ outlining the particulars of the car entry design. These are the moments when the F1 Exhibition comes to life as the depth of knowledge and behind the scenes information which can be learnt and embraced from the past is sure to delight hardcore fans.
This room then concluded with large video installations ranging from Niki Lauda’s comeback at the Nürburgring to Ayrton Senna’s legendary laps at Monaco. Your tour has well and truly started and shown how Formula 1 elevated into more than just a sport but rather a cultural phenomenon.
Successful Designs
Visitors then find themselves at ‘Design Lab’. This room is one focusing on the technological advancements in F1, this section showcased developments in the sport and also showcased the Red Bull RB16B, which famously secured Max Verstappen’s first Drivers’ World Championship title in 2021.
Highlights included: cross-sectional models of F1 cars to illustrate the evolution of designs from early tubular frames to today’s carbon-fiber monocoques; an explanation of the complexity of hybrid engines and the role they play in both performance and sustainability; interactive touchscreens which allowed fans to experiment with car setups, testing different aerodynamic configurations to understand their impact on performance.
Drivers and Duels
Having explored the machinery in greater detail, we then reached room three ‘Drivers and Duels’. This room was certainly the most eye-catching with walls of racing helmets and racing suits being photographed by all in attendance. This section of the tour was one which focused on the human element and there was certainly something special about seeing Lewis Hamilton’s 100CC McLaren-Mercedes ZIP Kart from 1998 alongside the race suit of the boy who would go on to become a 7-time F1 Drivers’ World Champion.
Williams Racing’s heritage of champions was showcased as well as videos comparing famous duels: Prost vs. Senna; Hamilton vs. Verstappen; Hunt vs. Lauda. This area pays homage to the courage and skill of F1 drivers as well as the sacrifice they make. Attendees also had a chance to test their reflexes on a console when the starting grid lights went out – 3.16 seconds was our time so some further improvement required.
With three areas remaining, ‘Revolution by Design’ allowed us to see in greater depth the engineering developments and innovations that have propelled the sport. A chronological display showcased the evolution of Formula 1 technology, including the introduction of ground effect, turbocharging, and energy recovery systems. There was also the opportunity to see side by side how front wings, braking systems and tyres had evolved over the years. Finally, a look to the future with a presentation on the sport’s commitment to sustainability, with a focus on biofuels, electrification, and efforts to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.
Haunting and Inspiring
After making your way round a corner you then enter “Survival” and there in front of you is the charred remains of Romain Grosjean’s Haas VF-20 chassis. Every fan of the sport knows the story of this incident from the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix but this poignant moment cannot be understated. To see it up close in real life was both haunting and inspiring, particularly with Romain “The Phoenix” Grosjean retelling his experience of the event on a video screen adjacent to the exhibit.
Finally, after a walk down the corridor of life-size images of drivers from the 2024 F1 grid we reached “The Pit Wall”. This interactive experience with screens around ¾ of the room became filled with a host of classic images from the years alongside a pounding soundtrack, soundbites of commentary and flashing screens showing flags on track or strategical calls from pitlane. A high energy conclusion to a memorable tour.
The Pit Debrief Verdict
The F1 Exhibition London is a comprehensive and engaging presentation of Formula 1’s history and technological advancements. The inclusion of interactive elements will engage fans of all ages and rare artifacts will certainly mean more to different people – but that is the beauty of the sport as everyone takes something different from it. Whether new to F1 or a long-term fan of the sport, this exhibition will not disappoint.
Inevitably, there is a lot of information which fans will already know of – such as a breakdown of different tyre compounds – but it is the opportunity to dive deeper into the sport that needs to be relished. As does the fact that endless photos and videos can be taken as long as there is no flash photography.
Due to the fact that 2 hours is a sufficient period of time needed to explore all that is on offer – including the vastly overpriced gift shop on exit – we would caution against making a trip to the city purely for this event. However, if visiting London or already living in the nearby area, F1 Exhibition London should certainly be on your to do list before it heads to its next global port of call after March of next year.
