The ritual unfolds identically after every Formula 1 Grand Prix. Three drivers ascend the podium, national anthems echo across the circuit, and within moments the stage erupts in fizzing liquid as bottles are shaken and sprayed in celebration. This champagne-soaked tradition has become one of motorsport’s most recognizable images, yet its origins trace back to a combination of French wine culture and spontaneous driver exuberance in the 1960s. Understanding how this custom evolved reveals both the sport’s deep connection to European heritage and the unexpected moments that shape racing traditions.
The podium ceremony protocol explained
Once the chequered flag falls and the final car crosses the line, the top three finishers navigate toward the pit lane. Before any celebration begins, FIA officials conduct mandatory post-race procedures including driver weigh-ins to ensure compliance with minimum weight regulations. Only after these technical checks can the race winners proceed to the podium structure erected near the pit straight.
The ceremony follows strict protocol that remains consistent across the calendar. First, the national anthem of the winning driver plays through the circuit speakers. At races where Max Verstappen claims victory for Red Bull Racing, spectators hear both the Dutch anthem Wilhelmus and Austria’s Land der Berge, representing the team’s nationality. Following the anthems, officials present trophies to the top three drivers plus a representative from the winning constructor. The final act arrives as Georges Bizet’s Toreador march from the opera Carmen begins playing, signalling the moment for champagne spraying to commence.
In Middle Eastern rounds where alcohol consumption faces legal restrictions, the ceremony substitutes champagne with rose water while maintaining all other traditional elements.
Champagne suppliers through Formula 1 history
The sport has partnered with several premium sparkling wine producers since the mid-1960s, with contracts shifting between major French houses and alternative suppliers. Moët & Chandon served as the inaugural official partner from 1966 through 1999, establishing the brand’s association with motorsport success. G.H. Mumm assumed sponsorship duties from 2000 until 2015, followed by brief stints with Chandon and Carbon.
An interesting deviation occurred between 2021 and 2024 when Ferrari Trento supplied the podium bottles. Despite its name, Ferrari Trento maintains no connection to the Maranello-based racing team founded by Enzo Ferrari. The Italian producer, established in 1902 in the Trentino region, technically creates sparkling white wine rather than champagne, as the protected designation of origin applies exclusively to wines produced in France’s Champagne region. This geographical distinction matters in European wine classification, though the podium ritual remained unchanged.
Moët & Chandon reclaimed its position as official supplier starting with the 2025 season, returning the partnership to its original French champagne roots. The brand’s decades-long association with Formula 1 celebrations has created powerful marketing synergy between luxury consumption and racing achievement.
Origins of the spraying tradition
The custom emerged from the sport’s geographical concentration in France during its early decades. Throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, numerous championship rounds took place at the Reims-Gueux circuit, a high-speed street course surrounded by champagne vineyards in northeastern France. When Juan Manuel Fangio captured victory in 1950 during Formula 1’s inaugural season, Moët & Chandon presented him with a ceremonial bottle as befitting the region’s most famous export.
For sixteen years, race winners received champagne on the podium but simply drank it rather than creating the spectacle modern fans expect. The transformation from consumption to celebration involved two separate incidents at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance classic. During the 1966 edition, Colin Davis and Jo Siffert won their class driving a Porsche 906/6 LH while simultaneously topping the Index of Performance standings. Their celebratory champagne bottle had stood exposed to direct sunlight throughout the scorching race day, building internal pressure. When Siffert grasped the bottle, the cork exploded outward and drenched the Swiss driver in the luxury beverage.
The deliberate version of champagne spraying arrived one year later when Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt drove their Ford GT40 to overall Le Mans victory in 1967. Standing on the podium, Gurney spontaneously shook his Moët & Chandon bottle and directed the resulting spray at Henry Ford II and Carroll Shelby, the company executive and the GT40’s chief designer. The impromptu celebration delighted spectators and photographers, creating an iconic image that racing series worldwide quickly adopted.
What this means for modern Formula 1 presentation
The champagne ritual has evolved into essential brand theater that closes each race weekend. Television broadcasters guarantee podium coverage reaches global audiences, making those fizzing bottles valuable advertising real estate. For emerging talents like Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes or Oliver Bearman at Haas, reaching that top step represents both sporting achievement and entry into Formula 1’s visual iconography. The tradition’s persistence across six decades demonstrates how spontaneous moments can crystallize into defining customs, connecting contemporary drivers to legends like Fangio and Gurney through shared celebration. As the 2025 season progresses with Lewis Hamilton‘s Ferrari debut and renewed championship battles, the podium champagne showers will continue marking motorsport’s most significant victories with effervescent spectacle.
