Formula One Has Trademarked ‘Shoey’ — Drinking Champagne From Sweaty Shoes
Professional race car driver Daniel Ricciardo is famous for celebrating a big win on the course by drinking champagne straight from his sweaty shoe — what’s known in Australian lore as a “shoey.”
Looking to capitalize on its pop culture rise, Formula One has trademarked the phrase (and associated images) with the World Intellectual Property Organization in 25 countries including the U.S., Italy, France, the U.K. and Germany. Formula One plans to produce various merchandise inspired by the shoey, such as glasses, flasks, bottles, mugs and figurines.
The tradition first gained popularity in Australia more than 15 years ago when twin brothers Dean and Shaun Harrington, owners of cult surf brand The Mad Hueys, spoke about doing shoeys with beer as early as 2002. The phrase then garnered worldwide fame when racing stars including Ricciardo, David Reynolds, Jack Miller and Valentino Rossi performed shoey celebrations on the winners’ podium.
Speaking out previously about his unusual celebratory ritual, Ricciardo said drinking from a shoe is not as unpleasant tasting as one would think. “If the sparkling wine is cold, then it tastes good. If it’s warm, then you might get the sweat through it. But the cold taste kills the bad stuff, so it’s delicious,” he explained.
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Celebrities — among them, Gerard Butler and Patrick Stewart — have even gotten in on the action. During a 2017 visit to a college bar at Oxford University, British actor Hugh Grant famously performed a shoey surrounded by the university’s rugby team. Videos and photos of the spectacle quickly went viral online. Grant did it again in January alongside Jimmy Fallon during an appearance on “The Tonight Show.” Watch the hilarious video here:
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