There will always be bubbles on the podiums of the Formula 1 World Championship but they will not taste the same as in previous years.
The traditional jeroboam (between three and five liters) of champagne offered to the first three of each grand prix will give way to prosecco.
Official supplier of the precious beverage since 2017, the Carbon house has not renewed its contract with the American owners of the discipline who have chosen a brand with a predestined name to invite themselves to the circuits: Ferrari.
The brand of sparkling wine from the Trentino region, however, has nothing to do with the famous manufacturer with the prancing horse.
The new drink should make its appearance at the second Grand Prix of the season in Italy at Imola (April 18), alcohol being banned and replaced by sparkling fruit juice in Bahrain (March 28), location of the first race of the year.
The champagne shower, a tradition since 1967
Pierre Gasly celebrates his victory at the Italian Grand Prix last year.
On the transalpine circuit, pilots will once again be able to indulge in the joys of an alcoholic shower after having popped the cork as has been tradition since 1967. Because if champagne has appeared at the Formula 1 World Championship since 1950 to reward the winner who had plenty of time to drink from the bottleneck, sprinkling between drivers was only imposed about two decades later, not in Formula 1, but during the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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Dan Gurney, winner of the Le Mans event that year with Ford, had fun shaking the bottle during the awards ceremony.
The traffic jam did not resist and the American, unwittingly, launched a new custom which was imposed very quickly in almost all motor sports.
Despite everything, one test withstands the tradition of champagne: the 500 miles of Indianapolis.
In Indiana, the winner of the famous race is presented with a bottle… of milk!
In 1936, the three-time winner Louis Meyer asked to quench his thirst with this liquid.
Since then, his successors have all imitated him.
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Why F1 drivers shower with champagne on the podiums