One final champagne celebration for Ferrari Trento because it bids farewell to F1’s high spot

For 4 years, Ferrari has graced the highest step of each System 1 podium — simply not the pink Prancing Horse Ferraris pushed by Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz. Slightly it is the bottle of Ferrari Trento glowing wine sprayed by victors in celebration. The straightforward black bottle has develop into synonymous with the game’s iconic ceremony, notably for the thousands and thousands of followers who found F1 in the course of 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 have been a dream, in response to Matteo Lunelli, the president and CEO of Ferrari Trento. “The System 1 podium is essentially the most iconic celebration on the earth 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 presumably carry the winemaker to System 1, he was greater than keen to leap on the probability.

“Then the Covid pandemic got here and it appeared just like the world was going to alter. However we have been dedicated to persevering with our challenge,” he mentioned. “At the moment it was not an apparent resolution in any respect as a result of no one knew if massive occasions have been coming again and if the world can 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 carry, however the model entered F1 when the game was on the precipice of a large increase, notably within the US. “It was a bit little bit of a guess on the time that turned out to be an awesome resolution for us,” Lunelli mentioned. 

Within the quick time the 2 have been partnered collectively, they made some exceptional reminiscences. Lunelli recounts Lewis Hamilton celebrating his a hundredth grand prix win: “We knew that it may 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 now have a good looking 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 instructed Lando that the bottles are actually not made for smashing on the ground, however he is a good champion, and he likes to do it, even when it makes me a bit bit scared,” Lunelli mentioned. “The glass bottle shouldn’t be made to be thrown on the ground, however he’s one of the best at celebrating on the rostrum for positive. He has one of the best model.” 

Even Daniel Ricciardo’s notorious shoey acquired the inexperienced gentle from Lunelli. “Clearly a shoe shouldn’t be actually essentially the most applicable option to drink our Ferrari, nevertheless it’s about pleasure,” he mentioned. “Every thing is appropriate from Daniel as a result of he is such a improbable individual. I at all times say we like to see any individual 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 mentioned 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 nevertheless it 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 in all our most memorable moments in F1.”

Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 1st place, and Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari, third place, rejoice with Champagne on the rostrum

Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos