Watch: Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell Fumble Podium Champagne Celebration at Mexico City

NASCAR headed to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit in Mexico City with a points race for the first time in the sport’s history. In typical F1-celebratory fashion, the sport carried out a podium setup including champagne bottles and trophies, and Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell were definitely not ready for the surprise.

However, things didn’t turn out as planned, as the drink did not spray out in the way the drivers intended. This led to a hilarious but awkward moment for Elliott, Bell, and others witnessing the moment.

Shane van Gisbergen stood on the top step due to his exceptional performance around the road course circuit. Christopher Bell and Chase Elliott finished right behind the Trackhouse Star as the race became unpredictable owing to the rainy conditions. As the inaugural Mexico City race ended on a highly positive note, the managers decided to celebrate the top three finishers by spraying champagne and awarding them trophies.

NASCAR drivers aren’t typically accustomed to full podium celebrations, even if they’ve sprayed champagne on personal occasions and events. As a result, Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell struggled to pop their bottles, leading to an awkward moment between them and the nearby crew. Shane van Gisbergen, however, handled it like a pro, unleashing a full spray over both drivers.

Chase Elliott took to X to address the awkward podium celebration at the Mexico City race. The P3 finisher admitted they were unfamiliar with this kind of champagne-spraying tradition. While he and Bell initially struggled, Christopher Bell eventually figured it out and managed a decent spray by the end. In the end, all three drivers shared a hilarious but memorable moment on the podium of NASCAR’s first overseas race in a long time.

We’re kinda new to this podium champagne stuff.

Chase Elliott said on his X account, @chaseelliott