Sixty years ago, a shaken bottle and a burst cork changed the way the world celebrates victory forever.
In 1966 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, what began as a happy accident became one of motorsport’s most iconic and beloved rituals. A Jeroboam of Moët & Chandon, shaken too vigorously, unleashed a spontaneous shower of champagne over the podium. One year later, Dan Gurney turned that accident into a deliberate and legendary gesture, deliberately spraying the crowd after his victory and giving birth to the champagne spray as we know it today.
The tradition reached Formula 1 at the 1969 French Grand Prix with Sir Jackie Stewart, and the podium has never been the same since. From Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher to Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and Lando Norris, every champion has made the gesture entirely their own. And every time, it delivers the same rush of pure, shared joy.
In 2026, Moët & Chandon and Formula 1 are celebrating this extraordinary 60-year milestone together, honouring a tradition that captures everything we love about the sport: excellence, emotion, and the beautiful reminder that victory is always better when shared.
To sixty more years of champagne-drenched celebrations.
