McLaren’s Lando Norris apologised for Max Verstappen’s smashed Hungarian Grand Prix trophy on Thursday and promised to be more careful next time he cracked open the champagne on the Formula One podium.
The large pink and white handmade porcelain trophy, which took nearly six months to make, tumbled off the top step and broke into pieces when second-placed finisher Norris bashed the podium floor with his bottle to pop the cork.
Verstappen had put it on the floor before starting his own celebrations.
“Max just placed it too close to the edge. It fell over I guess. Not my problem, it’s his,” the Briton had said at the time but he sounded more contrite when asked in the FIA press conference for an update at the Belgian Grand Prix.
“I knew you would bring it up,” the Briton sighed.
“First of all, I do want to apologise for it,” continued the 23-year-old. “I obviously had no intention in ever doing such a thing.
“I know how much it means to the Hungarians and part of their culture… and I did apologise to Max. I know I made a couple of jokes about which maybe I shouldn’t but I do feel bad for (him).
“If he did it to my trophy I’d be annoyed. I do apologise for it and obviously to the people who put the time and effort into making it, I really didn’t mean for it to happen. I’ll make sure I’m a lot more careful next time.”
Norris, who has finished second to Verstappen in the last two races, saw no reason to change his method of starting the champagne celebrations, however.
“I’ll just move the trophies aside and then continue,” he said, swerving a question on whether he would pay for the broken one to be repaired.
Attila Simon, CEO of Herendi Porcelain, told Hungary’s M4 Sport on Monday that the trophy had a lifetime guarantee and Verstappen would get a replacement.