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 pink Prancing Horse Ferraris pushed by Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz. Moderately it is the bottle of Ferrari Trento glowing wine sprayed by victors in celebration. The straightforward black bottle has grow to be synonymous with the game’s iconic ceremony, notably for the hundreds of thousands of followers who found F1 throughout the Netflix-fueled “Drive to Survive” period. Nonetheless, 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 probably the most iconic celebration on this 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 probably carry the winemaker to Formulation 1, he was greater than keen to leap on the probability.

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

The gamble paid off. Not solely did the pandemic restrictions begin to elevate, however the model entered F1 when the game was on the precipice of a large increase, notably within the US. “It was a little bit little bit of a guess on the time that turned out to be an awesome resolution for us,” Lunelli stated.

Within the quick time the 2 had been partnered collectively, they made some outstanding reminiscences. Lunelli recounts Lewis Hamilton celebrating his a 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 stupendous 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 superb champion, and he likes to do it, even when it makes me a little bit bit scared,” Lunelli stated. “The glass bottle will not be made to be thrown on the ground, however he’s the most effective at celebrating on the rostrum for positive. He has the most effective fashion.”

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 obtained the inexperienced gentle from Lunelli. “Clearly a shoe will not be actually probably the most acceptable approach to drink our Ferrari, but it surely’s about pleasure,” he stated. “The whole lot is appropriate from Daniel as a result of he is such a incredible individual. 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 but it surely was such a pleasure for him [Prince Albert]. He sprayed Charles after which drank from the bottle — it was iconic, and will certainly be one among our most memorable moments in F1.”