104 different men have triumphed during Formula One’s 62-year reign…and many of them have brought some seriously weird and wacky celebrations to the pitlane in their moment of triumph. Here we list the five strangest/oddest/funniest celebration routines exhibited by the drivers down the years.
Mike Hawthorn
The 1958 World Champion is sadly not remembered by many outside the racing fraternity, but his wild post-race antics involving champagne, cigars, bow ties and women most certainly are legendary. After a particularly successful day on the track he often liked to celebrate by downing a magnum of champagne while still behind the wheel. He really would be out of place in today’s safety-image conscious sport and probably would be shunned by the FIA Road Safety campaign, but this upper-class English toff was a lovable rogue who will forever hold the accolade of being ‘the first’ amongst the Brits.
Mark Webber
Aussies are known for their good-humoured lack of respect for authority, but Mark Webber may have gone one step too far after the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2010 while celebrating Red Bull’s newly-captured constructors title…letting off a fire extinguisher amongst packs of assembled photographers and journalists was slightly ill-advised but no-one suffered any side-effects. Good on yer mate!
Fernando Alonso
Fernando is a ruthless competitor and one of the best drivers the sport has ever seen, but his race-winning celebrations during his maiden title season of 2005 were nothing short of ridiculous. The result of a bet with mates (everyone has done it) meant every time he crossed the line first he was obliged to strike a peculiar pose in Parc Ferme known as ‘the Grinch.’ You would have thought something like that would be obvious, but he was so bad at impressions it took until the end of the year for journalists to find out what he was up to. Jim Carrey would have been watching and weeping…
Rubens Barrichello
Rubens had a difficult F1 uprbinging. His mentor the great Ayrton Senna died during Rubens’ second season in the sport and a series of lacklustre years at first Jordan, then Stewart Racing brought little cheer to the friendly little Brazilian. Small wonder then that his maiden F1 victory at the 2000 German Grand Prix brought a typically latin outpouring of relief on the podium as his national anthem rang out and he cried like a baby in front of the world’s cameras.
And finally….Rubens Barrichello!
Okay, yes it is the same man that is in 4th position on our table! But his truly alarming celebrations after each of his victories between 2002 and 2009 led some to believe he was suffering a very public heart-attack on his way to the podium. He has never enlightened us as to what exactly it all means, but the staggering and arm-waving must have some explanation behind it. It was certainly eye-catching…
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