Daniel Ricciardo forced to put a stop to champagne shoe swilling

Trademark action has forced Daniel Ricciardo to call a halt to his habit of drinking celebratory champagne out of his shoe.

Daniel Ricciardo drinks champagne out of his shoe after winning the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Picture: AFP.

Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo says he will celebrate any win at this Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix by swilling champagne from his helmet, not his shoe.

Ricciardo was confused about the legal implications of the trademark action taken out by the Formula One marketing company, which has patented the “shoey’’ name in 25 countries, including Australia until 2027.

”Hopefully they are not trying to stitch me up,’’ he said, asking journalists what the trademark action meant in regards to any restrictions on his podium celebrations.

While the Formula One owners Liberty Media would be encouraging of Ricciardo to continue his drink-from-the-shoe habits as a way to promote the sales of any future trademarked Shoey merchandise, Ricciardo said he would look to drink from his helmet instead.

”I will drink from my helmet instead and do a ’helmetie’,” the Red Bull driver said.

Daniel Ricciardo gets ready to pour champagne into his shoe. Picture: AFP.

Previously Ricciardo had taken great delight in filling his sweaty leather racing shoes with the champagne, drinking it and then encouraging his fellow racers to join in. Even fellow Australian Mark Webber has celebrated with Ricciardo by drinking the sweat-infused champagne but says it doesn’t taste so good.

In Australia, the “shoey’’ trademark will restrict other companies from using the shoes’ name on a range of household categories including picnic sets, trays, coolers, super bowls, crockery bottles, statues, sculpture as well as some specific types of trophies.

Ricciardo also revealed there had been a company wide review after he and fellow Red Bull driver Max Verstappen crashed in the last race in Baku, wiping each other out.

Ricciardo said team bosses would instruct the drivers to let the faster car overtake if a similar situation arose in the future.

“It was a build up and we could have responded better,’’ Ricciardo said of the incident.

”We got to the point of banging wheels, but if a car is faster than lets swap cars and let go the one that’s faster.’’

Ricciardo said he wasn’t that surprised the two clashed, although he said it was: ”weird’’ to have crashed with a teammate.

Red Bull officials said that they would continue to let both drivers race “free’’ but will step in if one of the cars looks to be holding the other up.

Ricciardo said the crash had not impacted on his contract plans for 2019 but has refused to elaborate on the status of his negotiations. He is contracted to Red Bull for this season, but has an option to discuss terms with Ferrari. Mercedes is also interested in Ricciardo and his long term future is likely to be decided in the coming months.