Max Verstappen Left Trophyless Worth €40,000 Due to Norris's Shameful Move

• F1

In a jaw-dropping twist at the Hungarian Grand Prix, reigning Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen was left without his hard-earned trophy. The reason? An unprecedented blunder on the podium by his track rival, Lando Norris. As Norris celebrated his second-place finish to Verstappen, he created a spectacle that diverted attention from the day's champion.

The McLaren driver, in a moment of exuberance, swung his champagne bottle, inadvertently hitting the race winner's trophy on the podium. The impact sent the delicate award plummeting to the ground, where it shattered into multiple fragments.

Social media lit up with footage of Norris's misstep, painting a picture of a clumsy end to an otherwise thrilling race. Norris's seeming lack of remorse over the incident sparked outrage among fans, many of whom condemned his actions.

I can see the ‘Lando Norris SMASHES rival’s trophy after second place’ headlines already pic.twitter.com/rdtvy8X1Gr — nic ? (@nnicolef1) July 23, 2023

An Apology and an Expensive Mistake

In response to the uproar, McLaren’s team promptly issued an apology.

"Sorry, Max," they announced, addressing the unfortunate victor. The Red Bull team, where Verstappen reigns, confirmed the unfortunate fate of the trophy, acknowledging it had indeed suffered irreversible damage due to Norris' mishap.

The cost of Norris's blunder is more significant than one might initially think. The Hungarian Grand Prix trophies, meticulously crafted out of porcelain, are entirely domestically produced. The creation of each award involves six months of labour and carries a staggering price tag of 40,000 euros.

Unperturbed Verstappen

Despite the unfortunate event, Verstappen’s performance at the Grand Prix was nothing short of spectacular. This latest win marks his seventh consecutive victory and his ninth out of the 11 races held this season.

With such a stellar track record, fans were quick to jest about the situation. They mused that the absence of one more trophy in Verstappen's extensive collection wouldn't pose much of an issue. Indeed, his trophy case must be teeming with awards.