Lando Norris went viral after his Brazilian Grand Prix podium mishap, where his champagne bottle shattered on impact and he walked face-first into podium fireworks, motorsport.com reported.
McLaren driver Lando Norris won the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday, surviving wet and wild conditions to claim his third victory of the season, according to Fox Sports.
Norris lost the lead of the race at the start when he dropped behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli, motorsport.com reported. He reclaimed the top spot when newly-crowned world champion Antonelli spun off at the first corner, crash.net noted. Norris controlled the race from there and won comfortably, beating Max Verstappen by 14.602 seconds, according to motorsport.com.
Verstappen Finishes Second After Starting 21st
Max Verstappen started 21st on the grid after taking a penalty for a new engine, Fox Sports reported. Verstappen carved through the field in the wet to finish second, matching previous wet-weather performances in Brazil. His Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar finished third, while Kimi Antonelli and George Russell took fourth and fifth as Mercedes clinched the world constructors’ championship.
Australia’s Oscar Piastri drove well to finish sixth after starting 10th, Fox Sports reported. Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson finished in the points again, though the Kiwi driver is yet to be awarded a contract extension amid speculation he could be replaced despite having a career-best year, according to Fox Sports.
Norris Laughs off Shattered Champagne Bottle Mishap
After collecting his trophy, Norris attempted his usual celebration of crouching down and slamming the base of the champagne bottle onto the ground to create heavy spray, motorsport.com reported.
On this occasion, the bottle gave way and shattered on impact, leaving just the top of the bottle in his hand, crash.net reported. Norris then stepped forward and appeared to walk face-first into the flowing stream of podium sparklers, according to motorsport.com.
Norris was unhurt and laughed off the incident with Verstappen and Hadjar, motorsport.com reported. Fans reacted widely on social media platforms, with one user on Reddit writing: “Broke the bottle, walked into the fireworks. Not a win he’ll forget easily,” as cited by motorsport.com.
| Driver | Team | Finishing Position | Starting Grid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lando Norris | McLaren | 1st | Front Row |
| Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 4th | Pole |
Reflecting on his victory, Norris said in post-race remarks reported by crash.net: “It was a very tough race, very very tough.” Norris added: “This weekend we had an opportunity to get pole and an opportunity to win, and I feel like most times this year when there’s been an opportunity, I’ve went for it and we’ve been able to achieve it.”
🚨| Lando Norris Triumphs in Brazilian GP as Mercedes Clinches Title: — Lando Norris clinched victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, navigating a challenging wet-dry-wet race at Interlagos. Despite spins from Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, Mercedes secured the Constructors'… pic.twitter.com/YOSkBh2YfS
