Why do drivers splash champagne on the podium?
The essentials
Drivers splash themselves with champagne on the podium because Dan Gurney, the American driver who won the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans, was the first to shake his bottle until the cork popped. This spontaneous gesture has become a global tradition, stemming from a custom that originated at the Reims Grand Prix in 1950.
- Who started the tradition of spraying champagne on the podium in F1?
- Dan Gurney, the American driver who won the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans, was the first to pop his bottle of champagne at the finish line, causing the cork to fly off and establishing what has since become a global tradition.
- Why isn’t there any champagne on the podium in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi?
- In Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, drinking alcohol on the podium is prohibited. The drivers therefore splash themselves with sparkling fruit juice, a substitute for the traditional champagne.
- Which brand of champagne is served on the Formula 1 podium?
- Moët & Chandon has supplied the champagne for F1 podium ceremonies for several decades, a tradition that began in Reims in 1950. In 2017, Champagne Carbon took over as the official supplier.
Since 1950, champagne on the F1 podium has been a time-honoured tradition — born out of a marketing ploy by the Champagne region and transformed by the boldness of an American driver.
The tradition goes back to the origins of F1. On July 2, 1950, the brand-new championship came to France for the sixth Grand Prix of the season. The Reims-Gueux circuit welcomed the pioneers of the discipline. At the end of a magnificent race, Juan Manuel Fangio wins ahead of Italy's Luigi Fagioli and Britain's Peter Whitehead. As seen in the podium photo, Juan Manuel Fangio celebrates his success with a bottle of champagne in hand.
An idea from Moët et Chandon
The idea was born in the minds of two cousins, motorsport enthusiasts and, incidentally, famous champagne producers: Paul Chandon Moët and Frédéric Chandon de Brailles. With the Grand Prix in Reims in mind, the pair took the initiative of offering a bottle of champagne to the winner of the race. A unanimously appreciated gesture and a stroke of marketing genius. The practice has since spread to other motor sports (endurance, rallying) and to all Grand Prix events. Moët et Chandon has been a great showcase for several decades. In 2017, Champagne Carbon became the Official Supplier of Formula 1 and offered Jeroboams on the podium for $3,000.
And America became restless..
In the 1950s and up to the end of the 1960s, drivers, like good gentlemen drivers, politely enjoyed Champagne. But Dan Gurney, a talented and cheerful American driver, was to change the destiny of the famous bubbles forever. The American, winner of the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans, decided to show off by shaking the bottle of champagne offered to the winners at the finish. The cork explodes. The effect and the shower are guaranteed.
A few departures from tradition
Since June 11 1967, champagne has almost invariably landed on drivers' suits and faces, rather than in their stomachs (with a few exceptions). There are exceptions, however. Under contract to a famous Canadian beer brand, Gilles Villeneuve sometimes swapped fine bubbles for hops on the podium. The late father of Jacques Villeneuve could be forgiven for this slight departure from tradition.
More recently, the opening up of the discipline to new countries has led to a number of "innovations". In Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, champagne on the podium is prohibited. Instead, drivers spray themselves with sparkling fruit juice. A small "perfumed" departure from tradition. After all, for the drivers, it doesn't matter what the bottle is, as long as they're intoxicated...with victory.
