Kada Sárközi joined GPblog as an editor ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 season. He graduated with a BA in Sports Journalism in the UK and has covered Grands Prix and other F1 events live.
Lando Norris had a scary moment on the Sao Paulo Grand Prix podium. Former McLaren and Red Bull Racing driver David Coulthard says the Briton needs to stop his champagne-popping habit.
Norris drove flawlessly at the Interlagos circuit last Sunday and claimed his third Grand Prix victory of the 2026 season. The podium celebration was less flawless for the McLaren driver. He first broke his champagne bottle and then walked into the fireworks, which singed his ear.
In the Up to Speed podcast, Coulthard expressed his concerns with Norris' celebration. He started with the bottling popping: "I was really impressed across the board, with some standout performances. The obvious one is Lando, absolutely brilliant. Although we have to address right at the top that he's got to stop doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome."
The former Formula 1 driver continued: "Banging the bottle, like right here, kids, banging glass on anything is not a good idea. You teach your smallest of children not to do that, and yet he continues to do it. He's very lucky.
Photo: Race Pictures
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"In all seriousness, he hasn't, like, gashed his hand. The FIA obviously needs to have a little look at the podium and do a little sense check on anything that could sparkle its way into the eye of a driver. So there's the first thing that needs a rework."
Norris shares update after scary podium moment at Interlagos
Luckily, the 2025 F1 world champion did not injure himself. Norris said in his live stream: "How's my ear? My ear is fine, thanks for asking. The problem is, everyone's like, 'Why did you walk into it?' It's because I got sprayed with champagne in my eyes, then I couldn't see anything. I couldn't see where I was going.
"I didn't think people realize how much it hurts and stings having champagne in your eyes. I didn't know where I was moving and, all of sudden, it just gets pretty warm on my ear. It felt pretty warm. I couldn't see it, so I just felt it there. I was already in shock that my bottle broke, for the first time in my life. But it didn't hurt. I just felt something on my ear. I thought it was a fly.
"It didn't hurt. I'm hard as nails! I hit my bottle, I then had a little moment where I was like, 'Oh my God, my hand is gone'," Norris concluded.
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