Lando Norris was caught in the face by a stray firework while he celebrated his Brazilian Grand Prix triumph on Sunday.
The 2025 world champion produced a near-flawless drive at Interlagos to claim his first victory since August, only for his podium celebrations to descend into chaos following a series of dangerous mishaps.
As Norris attempted his signature ‘spike’ celebration on the podium, which involves the McLaren star slamming his champagne bottle on the floor to create a greater spray, the magnum shattered and sent shards of glass flying.
Disorientated, Norris then appeared to walk face-first into the podium’s pyrotechnics and was subsequently struck in the face by a stray sparkler.
Norris’ head jolted on impact, prompting the British driver to immediately cover his face in shock as his fellow podium finishers continued to douse him in fizz.
The F1 star was thankfully unharmed, but the incident has since gone viral on social media, with some fans criticising the dangerous nature of the celebration.
Lando Norris was struck by a firework while celebrating his Brazilian Grand Prix victory
Norris leapt off the podium and shattered the champagne bottle moments before he was hit
Downplaying any serious injury concerns after the incident, McLaren team principal Andrea 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.’
During his triumphant title-winning campaign last season, Norris explained the method behind his wild celebration, which he has performed since his junior days.
‘Instead of shaking the bottle and then spraying it, you smash it against the ground,’ he said. ‘The trick here is to not smash it. And the trick to that is by having a very, very thick, strong bottle.’
Norris won the rain-soaked thriller in Brazil by a huge 14.6 seconds over Verstappen, who crossed the line second after pulling off a stunning comeback from 21st on the grid.
Mercedes, meanwhile, wrapped up the Constructors’ Championship, a week after Kimi Antonelli became F1’s youngest ever world champion in Mexico.
