Nearly 70k Bottles of Ferrari Trento Champagne Popped During F1 2023 Season, CNBC Reports

The popping up of the champagne on the podium is perhaps one of the most iconic moments in Formula 1 as this is when the top three drivers get to celebrate their success. This long-standing tradition has become a symbol of success and showcases the luxurious side of the highest level of motorsport in the world.

Ferrari Trento, a prestigious Italian sparkling wine producer, became the official champagne supplier for F1 in 2021. The switch to Ferrari Trento as the official champagne supplier also brought a practical change to the sport. Before 2021, Formula 1 used ‘Carbon’ champagne, which came with a hefty price tag of around €3000 (roughly $3.3k) per bottle.

The move to Ferrari Trento has made the podium celebrations significantly cheaper, with each three-liter Jeroboam bottle of Ferrari Trento costing around just €300 ($326). Matteo Lunelli, President & CEO of Ferrari Trento, spoke about the significance of this collaboration in a recent CNBC documentary.

He emphasized how Formula 1’s global reach, especially in the United States, has helped boost the brand’s visibility and sales. Lunellis stated,

“This bottle is a very special bottle, the one that goes on the podium. It’s Jeroboam which means it’s a three-liter bottle that contains Ferrari trentodoc sparkling wine. The partnership (with F1) has helped our brand awareness in the United States, and we almost doubled our export sales during the time of this partnership”.

In 2023, nearly 70,000 bottles of Ferrari Trento champagne were popped during race weekends, from podium ceremonies to hospitality suites, making it a memorable season of celebration.

A history of celebrating with champagne in Formula 1

While the tradition of giving champagne to the podium finishers has existed for as long as the sport itself, the origins of spraying the champagne on the podium go back to the 1966 Le Mans 24-hour race when Swiss driver Jo Siffert accidentally popped the cork on his bottle of champagne, spraying the spectators.

Since then, it has become a symbol of motorsport victory celebrations and what’s even more interesting is that drivers often bring their unique styles to the tradition. For example, Daniel Ricciardo’s famous “shoey,” where he drank champagne from his race-worn shoe, has delighted fans for years.

Lando Norris, on the other hand, has a signature smash-pop style, adding flair to his podium moments. During the 2023 Hungarian GP celebrations, Norris even ended up breaking Max Verstapen’s race-winner’s trophy while popping the bottle open in his signature style.