Lando Norris was struck in the face by a stray firework while celebrating his Brazilian Grand Prix victory after a series of mishaps disrupted his podium celebrations on Sunday.
The McLaren driver secured a commanding win at Interlagos, ending his wait for a victory since August.
However, what should have been a moment of celebration quickly turned chaotic when his trademark champagne bottle stunt went wrong.
Champagne Bottle Shatters During Signature Celebration
Norris attempted his familiar ‘spike’ celebration, which involves smashing a champagne bottle against the ground to produce a larger spray of champagne.
The British driver jumped off the podium and slammed his magnum bottle onto the floor, but the bottle shattered, sending pieces of glass flying.
The incident appeared to leave Norris momentarily disorientated as he moved towards the podium’s pyrotechnics.
Stray Firework Hits Norris in the Face
Moments after the bottle shattered, Norris appeared to walk into the path of the podium fireworks and was struck in the face by a stray spark.
The impact caused his head to jolt backwards, prompting him to immediately cover his face in shock.
His fellow podium finishers continued spraying champagne during the incident, while Norris reacted to the unexpected contact.
The 2025 world champion was not seriously injured, and the incident subsequently attracted widespread attention on social media, where some fans questioned the safety of the celebration.
McLaren Boss Addresses the Incident
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella offered an update following the celebrations, indicating that Norris appeared to be fine.
Speaking about the incident, Stella said: “I have not talked to him.
I have not checked, but I understand he is alright.
“I understand that he had an incident with the pyrotechnic, not with the bottle.”
Norris Previously Explained His Champagne Bottle Stunt
During his title-winning campaign last season, Norris explained the technique behind his signature celebration, which he has performed since his junior racing days.
He described how the stunt differs from the traditional method of shaking and spraying a champagne bottle.
“Instead of shaking the bottle and then spraying it, you smash it against the ground,” he explained.
“The trick here is to not smash it.
And the trick to that is by having a very, very thick, strong bottle.”
However, the Brazilian Grand Prix celebrations took an unexpected turn when his bottle broke during the attempt.
Norris Claims Dominant Victory in Brazil
Away from the podium incident, Norris delivered an impressive performance in the rain-affected Brazilian Grand Prix, winning by 14.6 seconds.
Max Verstappen finished second after producing a remarkable recovery drive from 21st position on the starting grid.
Meanwhile, Mercedes secured the Constructors’ Championship, coming a week after Kimi Antonelli became Formula One’s youngest-ever world champion in Mexico.
