McLaren driver Lando Norris apologised to Max Verstappen for breaking the Hungarian Grand Prix winner's trophy and promised to be more careful next time he cracked open the champagne on the Formula 1 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.
Lando: I know how much it means to the Hungarians and part of their culture
"I knew you would bring it up," the Briton sighed when asked about it by reporters at Spa-Franorchamps on Thursday. "First of all, I do want to apologise for it. I obviously had no intention in ever doing such a thing.
"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 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," added Norris.
The Englishman, who 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," Norris 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.
Latest News
Loading
