Champagne returns to F1 podium

Champagne has returned to the Formula 1 podium with new bottles being coated with carbon fibre.

Last year, the sport's long-time sponsor, Mumm, left the sport, leaving drivers spraying bottles of fizzy Chandon on the podium instead.

However, McLaren sponsor, Chandon, ­actually makes sparkling chardonnay, ending F1's decades-long flirt with champagne.



Champagne is back

But the Washington Post reports that champagne is now back, with a US$3 000-bottle of “carbon” sprayed into the crowd by Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas in Hungary.

The newspaper reports every bottle that will be sprayed on the podium from now on “is coated in the same carbon fibre that F1 cars are made of”.

A history with ­champagne

Carbon Champagne boss, Alexandre Mea, said: “For me, this has great symmetry with formula one.”

F1's champagne history dates back to 1950, when after a grand prix in the Champagne region of France, a large bottle was presented to the winner.

But it was not until 1966 when, at Le Mans, Jo Siffert's accidentally shaken bottle was inadvertently sprayed into the crowd, starting the tradition.– Wheels24