An accidental, spontaneous celebration involving Moët & Chandon Champagne 60 years ago led to one of world sports’ most enduring and notable winning traditions.
There are many time-honoured traditions in world sports. In golf, there is the Green Jacket placed upon the winner of The Masters (and which Rory McIlroy may never give up again), and the Claret Jug awarded to the winner of the British Open in the United Kingdom, along with the memorable pronouncement “… and the winner of the Gold Medal and Champion Golfer of the Year.” In hockey, teams line up at centre ice to shake hands at the conclusion of a playoff series and afterward, the Stanley Cup is presented to the winning team, a blanket of roses is worn by the winning horse at the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday of every May, and the winning driver at the Indy 500 gets to enjoy a bottle of milk at the finish line.
All of these winning traditions had been meticulously planned and thought-out well in advance by the various sports, but Formula 1 racing, one of the biggest travelling sports shows on earth, does things, as always, a little differently.
The 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans was the time and place of a race which changed victory celebrations forever. As three Ford cars led the race in its closing hour, Henry Ford II broke with tradition. Rather than the customary bottle, Ford requested a Moët & Chandon jeroboam, declaring that when America wins, it celebrates with three litres of Champagne. Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon were the first to lift the oversized bottle on the podium.
Then came the moment no one had planned or foreseen. During the awards ceremony, the jeroboam presented to drivers Jo Siffert and Colin Davis, winners in another category, had been shaken too vigorously — the drivers exalted and exhausted after surviving the most grueling endurance test in motorsports. Unexpectedly, the bottle’s cork popped and the bottle burst open, unleashing a shower of Champagne over the podium and surprised drivers.
One year later at the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans, driver Dan Gurney turned that accident a year earlier into a winning ritual. After his victory alongside his teammate, the legendary A.J. Foyt, Gurney deliberately shook his jeroboam before popping the cork, spraying Foyt, the race officials and the crowd, giving the gesture its legendary moment and creating one of motorsports’ most enduring traditions: the Champagne spray.
A spontaneous accident had become an unforgettable gesture, one that survives to this day as one of the sports world’s most notable winning traditions.
It is perhaps appropriate that the house that gave birth to that Champagne spray is Moët & Chandon, one of the oldest and most respected maisons in the world. Founded in 1743, Moët & Chandon draws on the largest terroir in Champagne to share its exceptional quality with the world through a rich and diverse portfolio of Champagnes. There is almost an emotive quality to its products and most importantly, its craftsmanship, which is now available in more than 150 countries around the world.
The maison’s philosophy is guided by a deep belief that life is better when shared, and Moët & Chandon’s range includes some of the finest Champagnes in the world. There is the timeless classic Brut Imperial, the bespoke creation of Grand Vintage and Ice Imperial, the first Champagne designed to be enjoyed on the rocks. Then, of course, there is the ultimate expression of haute oenologie with Collection Impériale, saved for only the most important celebrations and occasions. Throughout its impressive collections is Moët & Chandon’s joyful fruitiness, refined maturity and smooth, bubbly texture enjoyed through every sip.
Important to the maison as a leader in Champagne, Moët & Chandon is committed to its people and its communities to act responsibly through its world-class sustainability programs Natura Nostra and Essentia to pass on a nature that is preserved to future generations.
It is also appropriate that one of the world’s leading brands should partner and develop a long- time relationship with Formula 1 racing, one of the true titans of global sports. Formula 1 racing began in 1950 and has become the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition as well as the world’s most popular annual sporting series, attracting one of the largest global television audiences for any live event, not just those related to sports.
The Champagne spray gesture was brought to Formula 1 racing by none other than the legendary Sir Jackie Stewart at the 1969 French Grand Prix (naturally, Champagne in France). Since then, it has become a key part of Formula 1’s emotional language and one highly anticipated by its legions of fans. Following the intense pressure and precision required over the course of a race, there comes a natural release after the final lap — as if the driver can finally breathe again — and share his victory with his team, fellow drivers, race officials and most importantly, the passionate fans. For one unforgettable instant, the podium belongs to everyone as an inclusive, shared celebration.
For generations, Formula 1 legends and icons have each made the tradition their own. Germany’s Michael Schumacher, who shares the lead with Britain’s Lewis Hamilton with seven Formula 1 championships in history (two more than Juan Manuel Fangio), has perfected this twist on the phrase taking a “Champagne bath.”
Lauded names from motor-racing history have all embraced the tradition. From Ayrton Senna to Niki Lauda, from James Hunt and Alain Prost to Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and 2025 champion Lando Norris, all these champions have brought their distinctive personalities to the spray.
“It Is Also Appropriate That One of the World’s Leading Brands Should Partner and Develop a Long-Time Relationship With Formula 1 Racing, One of the True Titans of Global Sports.”
And now, it appears there is “The Next One.” Replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, Italy’s Kimi Antonelli, who appears as if his face has yet to meet a razor and who was born in just 2006, has an impressive record so far this season. As of the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix, Antonelli has an incredible six victories and six pole positions, nine fastest laps and 12 podiums during this season and appears to be on track to become the youngest Formula 1 champion since Sebastian Vettel won in 2010 at the tender age of 23. Antonelli became the third-youngest driver in Formula 1 history when he made his debut at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix at just 18 and a half years old. It will be interesting to see if a 20-year-old can develop a taste for Champagne as he’s getting plenty of opportunities to become a discerning connoisseur.
From overly enthusiastic exuberance causing an unexpected podium pop in France 60 years ago to the widely shared viral moments of the modern age, Moët & Chandon Champagne has now become the centrepiece of one of global sports’ most enduring winning traditions. A celebration of excellence and emotion, a release of tension and built-up energy and the exaltation of what winning actually means and feels like at the very top of your sport, it also says something much deeper and more meaningful — the unmistakable truth of what the Champagne spray really means and says — that victory is better, and tastes sweeter, when shared.
