Norris breaks silence on bizarre champagne mishap after Brazilian GP win

The McLaren driver enjoyed a successful afternoon at Interlagos, taking victory ahead of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar. However, his celebrations took an unexpected turn when he attempted his trademark champagne trick.

Norris slammed his champagne bottle against the podium floor, only for the glass to break in two. The Briton was left holding the broken remains while his two Red Bull rivals continued spraying champagne.

Speaking to Canal+ after the race, Norris was asked whether the champagne bottle was actually his biggest problem of the day.

"I'm okay. I was very, very worried! This is the first time ever that it has happened to me. A broken bottle, which is a shame, but now I know the limits of what a champagne bottle can take," Norris explained.

The McLaren driver also offered a possible explanation for the unusual incident, suggesting that the weather conditions in São Paulo played a part: "I think it's because it's cold. On a hotter day, I think it's okay. On a cold day like today, it was too hard. The most difficult part of today was the champagne!"

Despite the unexpected podium incident, Norris had plenty to celebrate after another strong performance at Interlagos. The Briton secured pole position in a rain-affected qualifying session on Saturday before converting his advantage into victory on Sunday, overcoming constantly changing track conditions.

His race was far from straightforward, with Kimi Antonelli moving ahead at the start before Norris eventually regained the lead. From there, the McLaren driver controlled proceedings to finish ahead of Verstappen, who produced a remarkable recovery from 21st on the grid to finish second.

Rain returned during the closing stages, forcing drivers back onto intermediate tyres, but Norris avoided any costly mistakes and crossed the finish line ahead of the two Red Bull drivers. The result marked his third Grand Prix victory of the 2026 season and his second consecutive triumph in São Paulo, following his success at the same circuit last year.

The broken champagne bottle was not the only incident Norris experienced during the podium ceremony. The McLaren driver was also caught by fireworks during the celebrations alongside Verstappen and Hadjar.

With his rivals spraying champagne over him, Norris walked into a shower of sparks from the podium pyrotechnics. The Briton immediately raised his hands to protect his face, still holding the remains of his broken bottle, while Verstappen watched the unusual scene unfold.

The incident raised concerns about whether Norris suffered any injuries, although McLaren team principal Andrea Stella subsequently reassured everyone that the reigning world champion was unharmed.

It was another unusual chapter in Norris' history of podium celebrations. At the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix, his trademark champagne trick accidentally sent Verstappen's handmade porcelain trophy crashing to the ground, breaking it into pieces. Norris also suffered a similar bottle mishap at Monza in 2020, when he cut himself after breaking a champagne bottle against the concrete floor while celebrating with his team.