How Champagne-Spray Became A Celebratory Tradition

It's more than just a pop and fizz. Popping bottles of champagne — and causing an explosive spray all over anyone in its proximity — is one of the most iconic symbols of celebration and victory. This is especially true in the world of sports, particularly the intense and cut-throat world of auto racing. The iconography of Formula 1 racing wouldn't be complete without the snappy suits, aerodynamic cars, and the shaking and spraying of champagne by the winner of each race. The tradition has even been adopted by other sports, including baseball and tennis.

But how did this tradition get its start? As it turns out, it happened by accident. The very first champagne spray happened in 1967, after the marathon known as the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. As its name implies, this long-haul auto race requires the racer to cover as much distance as possible within 24 hours. The marathon is grueling and nonstop, pushing even the most seasoned racers to their limits.

In 1967, Dan Gurney won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Ford, and he was particularly exuberant about opening the celebratory bottle of champagne. Due to Gurney's excited movements, the bottle did overflow — onto himself, Henry Ford II, and Ford's wife. The incident spawned an explosive new tradition within auto racing, particularly with Formula 1, which has its own rich and intertwined history with the fizzy beverage.

Even though the iconic champagne spray didn't take off until the '60s, champagne has been a part of Formula 1 racing since 1950, the year of the first drivers' world championship. Juan Manuel Fangio, the winner of the Grand Prix in France that year, was gifted a bottle of Moët & Chandon.

After this race, the act of awarding winners with a bottle of champagne became a standard practice at Formula 1 races, and this is precisely how Dan Gurney came to perform his first (and accidental) champagne spray in 1967. However, he did repeat the incident the following year — this time on purpose — and the practice of spraying champagne has been an essential part of Formula 1 auto racing ever since.

And it's not just the celebratory champagne spray that distinguishes the bubbly drink as an inextricable part of auto racing. Many champagne brands have involved themselves as sponsors for racers over the years. And the celebratory champagne that's actually popped by the winner of each race is often sponsored as well. Ferrari Trento has been Formula 1's official champagne sponsor since 2021, but other brands, such as Moët & Chandon and G.H. Mumm, have served as sponsors in previous years.

Formula 1 isn't the only sport that indulges in boozy post-game celebrations. Major League Baseball also has an ongoing tradition of post-victory beer and champagne showers, particularly after the playoffs or the World Series. It doesn't take a lot of effort to find images of teams soaking each other in beer and champagne, with a few teammates even donning goggles beforehand (safety first). While the origins of the MLB's tradition of beer and champagne showers are foggier than Formula 1's tradition, these celebrations have become a public spectacle in recent years, with many players posting the showers to Instagram for fans to enjoy alongside players.

And it's not just champagne and beer that have become icons of victory and celebration. In American football, dumping Gatorade over the head coach of the winning team has also become a tradition, and there's even a history of betting on the color of that Gatorade during the Super Bowl. The Gatorade dump originally started in 1984 when Jim Burt, a player for the New York Giants, decided to pour a container of Gatorade on his head coach, Bill Parcells. So, next time you're in a place to celebrate a victory (either big or small), go ahead and reach for the champagne, beer, or Gatorade, and don't be afraid to make a mess.