Lando Norris wins São Paulo Grand Prix as champagne bottle shatters on podium

Lando Norris won the Sao Paulo Grand Prix from pole position, finishing ahead of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar in a dominant performance that secured his third victory of the season. The 2025 F1 champion led the race with little threat from behind, even when rain returned in the closing stages, before taking to the podium with his usual enthusiasm. This time, however, the celebration came at a physical cost. Norris attempted his signature champagne bottle slam, but the entire bottle shattered upon impact instead of spraying liquid into the sky. He was left holding only the neck, looking confused as the Red Bull drivers drenched him. Then he stumbled forward into unguarded fireworks, sending sparks shooting directly into his ear.

The incident and immediate reaction

Norris explained the sequence of events during a social media stream, addressing concerns about his hearing. "How’s my ear? My ear’s fine," he said, thanking fans for asking. He clarified that he walked into the pyrotechnics because champagne had sprayed into his eyes, rendering him temporarily blind. "I didn’t know where I was going. I don’t think people realise how much it hurts and stings having the champagne in your eyes." He described the sensation of the sparks as "pretty warm" on his ear, noting he initially thought he felt a fly rather than heat. The incident followed a rare moment of shock when his bottle broke for the first time in his career, adding to the confusion of the moment.

Demands for change and team status

Despite the comfortable win, Norris stated clearly that McLaren is "not good enough" to fight for the title again. He sits sixth in the championship standings, trailing second-placed George Russell by 33 points, while the team holds fourth place in constructors’ points. His teammate Oscar Piastri fared worse, clinging to seventh place ahead of Isack Hadjar, who missed three races earlier in the year with a broken wrist. Norris praised the new upgrades brought to Interlagos, acknowledging they worked as intended and prevented the team from falling further behind. "The upgrades we brought this weekend were great," he admitted, though he insisted they are insufficient to make the car consistently the quickest. He emphasized that winning required good strategy, pit stops, and clean driving, not just raw speed. The team remains uncertain about their package’s long-term potential, admitting they are getting there slowly but want to accelerate progress. Norris concluded that while he is proud of the team’s work, everyone knows they still have significant work to do before they can claim confidence in a world championship challenge.