The top three finishers of every Formula 1 grand prix partake in the podium ceremony, where trophies are handed out before sparkling wine is sprayed.
F1 has historically used champagne for that activity as part of a tradition which dates back to the mid-20th century.
To be officially called ‘champagne’, the product must have been produced in that specific wine-growing region of France.
It has since become an integral part of podiums in not just F1 but across motorsport worldwide, so how did the tradition start?
Why do F1 winners spray champagne?
Champagne was first awarded at an F1 race in 1950 when Juan Manuel Fangio won the French Grand Prix, that season’s penultimate round.
It took place at Reims-Gueux, a high-speed street circuit that was located in the north-eastern commune of Gueux and only five miles west of Reims – the unofficial capital of Champagne.
When the grand prix finished, at a circuit surrounded by vineyards, Fangio was awarded a bottle donated by Moet & Chandon – one of the most famous producers in the world.
Fangio was the first recipient of champagne at a world championship grand prix when he won the 1950 French GP
Photo by: LAT Photographic
As the French GP was held at the track 10 more times, the wine kept on being awarded to the race winners with drivers politely drinking it at first.
It wasn’t until 1966 that the tradition of spraying champagne in motorsport began, after Porsche’s Jo Siffert and Colin Davis won the Index of Performance class at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
The first instance was by accident though, as the magnum had sat in direct sunlight causing pressure to increase inside. So, the cork suddenly popped when given to Siffert, who then soaked those nearby.
At first, the incident seemed like a one-off until Ford’s Dan Gurney turned it into a tradition when he won the following year’s Le Mans 24 Hours alongside A.J. Foyt.
The victory came as a surprise because many believed the all-American, high-profile duo could not nurse their GT40 for the whole race distance. However, Gurney and Foyt drove with incredible care to win by four laps ahead of Ferrari’s Mike Parkes and Ludovico Scarfiotti.
When Gurney was presented with a magnum of Moet & Chandon, he surprisingly decided to shake it and spray his bosses Henry Ford II and Carroll Shelby.
“What I did with the champagne was totally spontaneous,” said Gurney, who also finished his career as a four-time grand prix…
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