Mercedes sponsor’s CEO apologises over podium celebration · F1 · RaceFans

Oktober 8, 2025

in Racing

Reading Time: 5 mins read

The CEO of Mercedes title sponsor Petronas has apologised for his actions throughout the podium celebration finally weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.

Tengku Muhammad Taufik, who has been CEO of Petronas since 2020, accepted he could have unintentionally triggered offence by celebrating with champagne following George Russell’s victory on the Marina Bay circuit.

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He joined the ceremony with Max Verstappen and Lando Norris as Mercedes’ consultant on the rostrum. All three drivers started the normal champagne-spraying celebration, which he then joined in with.

The Petronas CEO stated that amid the joy of the workforce’s victory he failed to recollect there have been potential “sensitivities” round using alcohol within the celebration.

“I acknowledge that my spur-of-the-moment exuberance in celebrating that second of victory could have been misplaced,” he stated in an announcement reported by The Straits Instances.

“Whereas I can categorically state I didn’t eat any alcohol, as a Muslim, I ought to have been extra conscious of the sensitivities related to collaborating in such celebrations.

“I wish to apologise for any unintended offence triggered and take full duty for my actions.”

F1 makes use of non-alcoholic substitutes for champagne at occasions the place native legal guidelines forestall alcohol consumption and promotion, such because the Bahrain, Saudi Arabian and Abu Dhabi grands prix. This isn’t the case on the Singapore Grand Prix, nor was it executed on the Malaysian Grand Prix, which final befell in 2017 and was sponsored by Petronas.

Petronas has been Mercedes’ title sponsor for the reason that workforce returned to Method 1 as a constructor in 2010. Russell’s victory on Sunday was their 122nd victory throughout their time collectively. The Singapore Grand Prix is the closest occasion to Malaysia, the place Petronas is predicated, and this was the primary time Mercedes had gained it since 2018.