One last champagne celebration for Ferrari Trento as it bids farewell to F1’s top spot

For 4 years, Ferrari has graced the highest step of each Formulation 1 podium — simply not the purple Prancing Horse Ferraris pushed by Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz. Reasonably it is the bottle of Ferrari Trento glowing wine sprayed by victors in celebration. The easy black bottle has develop into synonymous with the game’s iconic ceremony, notably for the hundreds of thousands of followers who found F1 through the Netflix-fueled “Drive to Survive” period. Nevertheless, a billion-dollar deal inked by F1 and LVMH noticed the checkered flag wave on Ferrari Trento’s reign. Beginning in 2025, the French luxurious conglomerate’s marquee champagne, Moët & Chandon, will make its return to be ceremoniously sprayed on the rostrum.

These 4 years had been a dream, in accordance with Matteo Lunelli, the president and CEO of Ferrari Trento. “The Formulation 1 podium is essentially the most iconic celebration on the planet of sports activities, and it’s the place the custom of opening a bottle of bubbles on the rostrum began,” he shared. Lunelli’s childhood reminiscences included watching Italy triumph within the 1982 FIFA World Cup with bottles of Ferrari Trento in hand. So when conversations started in 2019 to presumably carry the winemaker to Formulation 1, he was greater than keen to leap on the probability.

“Then the Covid pandemic got here and it regarded just like the world was going to alter. However we had been dedicated to persevering with our venture,” he stated. “At the moment it was not an apparent choice in any respect as a result of no person knew if large occasions had been coming again and if the world could be completely different, however we knew that this was a terrific alternative for Ferrari Trento, so we began in 2021.”

The gamble paid off. Not solely did the pandemic restrictions begin to carry, however the model entered F1 when the game was on the precipice of a large growth, notably within the US. “It was slightly little bit of a wager on the time that turned out to be a terrific choice for us,” Lunelli stated.

Within the brief time the 2 had been partnered collectively, they made some exceptional reminiscences. Lunelli recounts Lewis Hamilton celebrating his one centesimal grand prix win: “We knew that it might occur in Russia so we ready a really particular bottle, however clearly you do not know till the final flip,” he defined. “So we had this bottle prepared for the rostrum in Sochi and when he noticed it, he realized that it was for him and we’ve a ravishing image of him from that second.”

Then there’s Lando Norris, whose bottle-smashing antics have made him a fan-favorite on the rostrum. “I advised Lando that the bottles are actually not made for smashing on the ground, however he is a good champion, and he likes to do it, even when it makes me slightly bit scared,” Lunelli stated. “The glass bottle is just not made to be thrown on the ground, however he’s the perfect at celebrating on the rostrum for certain. He has the perfect model.”

Lando Norris, McLaren, 2nd place, sprays champagne on the rostrum on the Hungarian GP after breaking Max Verstappen’s trophy.

Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs

Even Daniel Ricciardo’s notorious shoey bought the inexperienced gentle from Lunelli. “Clearly a shoe is just not actually essentially the most acceptable technique to drink our Ferrari, nevertheless it’s about pleasure,” he stated. “All the pieces is suitable from Daniel as a result of he is such a incredible particular person. I at all times say we like to see any person having fun with Ferrari in a pleasant glass, maybe with the meals within the Paddock Membership, however that second of victory is a second of celebration and pleasure, so it’s completely acceptable.”

Naturally, Lunelli has a particular place reserved for Ferrari double podiums, which he’s dubbed “Ferrari squared.” But one second stands out above the remainder: Leclerc’s long-awaited victory on the Monaco Grand Prix in 2024. “The Prince of Monaco stated that if Charles received, he would spray himself on the rostrum,” Lunelli recalled. “It was very out of protocol. The Monaco podium is elegant and formal nevertheless it was such a pleasure for him [Prince Albert]. He sprayed Charles after which drank from the bottle — it was iconic, and will certainly be certainly one of our most memorable moments in F1.”