In a dramatic turn of events, Max Verstappen’s victory celebration at the Hungarian Grand Prix took an unexpected twist. The reigning world champion’s 1st-place trophy was accidentally broken on the podium, but there’s good news on the horizon for the Red Bull driver.
As Verstappen began to spray champagne in jubilation, Lando Norris, the McLaren driver, inadvertently knocked over the trophy with the force of his champagne bottle celebration. The collision caused the precious porcelain memento to fall onto the podium floor, shattering its top portion.
Sky Sports reporter Slater revealed the unfortunate incident during the post-race coverage, lamenting the damage to what he described as “one of the most beautiful trophies of the year.” The trophy is a handmade piece of porcelain and holds an estimated value of around 40,000 euros.
“Lando Norris opening his champagne bottle by smashing it down on the podium and damaging that trophy, which is one of the most beautiful of the year,” Slater said on Sky Sports News.
“It’s a handmade piece of porcelain worth in the region of 40,000 euros but there’s breaking news and it’s good news for Max Verstappen…”
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Good news for Max Verstappen
However, there is a silver lining for Verstappen. The chief executive of Herendi, the company responsible for crafting the trophies, has announced that a replacement trophy will be provided for the Dutch driver. Herendi is known for its exquisite craftsmanship, and they have a lifetime replacement guarantee for all their products, including the trophies awarded to Formula 1 winners.
“The chief executive of Herendi (the company which makes the trophies) has just released this statement…” claims Slater,
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A brilliant and bittersweet first win in F1 for @Charles_Leclerc in Spa ❤️#BelgianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/FtHSC7Q8QR
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 24, 2023
Despite the mishap, Verstappen can now look forward to receiving a new trophy, identical to the one he won at the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix. The incident adds an intriguing footnote to an already exciting race, where Verstappen secured a commanding victory, further solidifying his championship campaign.
“While they are sad about the damage, they are recreating the broken trophy of the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen as there is a lifetime replacement guarantee for all their products.”
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