Have you ever drank from shoes? Well, it’s not about the brand new shoe that was waiting on the shelf for the winning moment. It’s about the shoe you wore on your foot for 2 hours while driving a car! We didn’t, but Daniel Ricciardo literally created a new tradition called F1 shoey. Daniel Ricciardo drank water from a shoe after the finish of the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix 2018 and told everyone on the podium to follow the wild one! Time passes by, but there are still too many questions. First of all, what was the Royal Family thinking at that moment? A bit confused for some – for others the big shock, but we liked it anyway. Let’s figure out the wild tradition in Formula 1 and discover the fascination of the epic gesture.
Drinking from shoes or the origins of F1 shoey
It may seem like a strange habit, but it’s not that unusual! ‘Do a shoey’ dates back more than two hundred years!
Thus, the history of beer boots dates back to England and Germany in the 19th century and faded around 1870.
Originally, “Shoey” is an Irish drinking tradition. The truth is that no one can say for sure where it all started.
In spite of the differences in cultures, “Shoey” has something in common: people celebrate victories at major events or at a party hosted by overjoyed and active companies!
Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo’s re-enactment of the drinking from shoes stunt is fascinating. He definitely added a special feeling to return the unusual celebration!
Why does Daniel Ricciardo drink from his shoe?
As you already know, Daniel Ricciardo was born in Australia, but he definitely has Italian origins. Anyway, the shoey didn’t originate in Australia, but it has fast become a permanent fixture in popular culture. These people follow the old custom and drinking beer from shoes. Moreover, drinking champagne from a lady’s slipper became a symbol of decadence in the early 20th century. The practice remains particularly popular here in Australia.
What the heck is that, you may ask? Well it has its own meaning. Drinking from a shoey in Australia brings good luck and makes a great party piece.
In fact, Daniel Ricciardo was actually the first to drinking from shoey in Formula 1. He brought the tradition in 2016, but Australian isn’t the first who cheered with the shoey!
Who started the shoey?
The tradition of celebrating by drinking from shoes returned to mainstream culture when Australian MotoGP rider Jack Miller claimed his first victory in Holland in June 2016. In Formula 1 we have two of Australia’s most famous drivers: Daniel Ricciardo and former F1 driver Mark Webber. But it was Ricciardo who made the leap into the wilderness of origins.
Daniel Ricciardo finished second in his 100th race two months after Jack Miller’s victory at the German Grand Prix. Filled with the best emotions at that moment, Ricciardo cheered with his winning shoe! Daniel repeated the stunt at the following Belgian Grand Prix, this time sharing it with Mark Webber.
Every time Daniel Ricciardo steps on to the podium, the Australian starts to drink from his shoes. At that moment, people were wondering what’s the stranger Daniel is! He did a shoe and made the other people do the same in the emotional turmoil. But what can stop Daniel Ricciardo?
Formula 1 shoey: Different feelings flow like a river through the F1 shoeys!
Daniel Ricciardo is the most positive of all F1 drivers. He’s been smiling no matter what and his smile is very remarkable. Thus, the happiness and positive energy are even greater when it comes to Ricciardo’s podium. There was no mercy for anyone!
F1 Shoey’s debut in Formula 1
Thus, in 2016 on the Belgian Grand Prix was the first time when F1 drivers drank from the shoe. Mark Webber had no choice but to attend the celebration. And yes, he had bad. Webber is a former F1 driver and yes, he’s also Australian.
Daniel Ricciardo repeated the trick at the Malaysian Grand Prix in 2016. In addition to Daniel, Nico Rosberg (former Mercedes driver) and even Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner attended the celebration. Max Vetstappen also tried to drink from a shoey, but he had not repeated the trick since the Malaysian Grand Prix 2016.
Third F1 shoey came at the United States Grand Prix in the same 2016 season. Gerard Butler had to drink from Daniel’s shoe at that time. Nico Rosberg grew accustomed to drinking from shoes, while Lewis Hamilton refused to drink anything.
In 2017
Four F1 shoey were very up to date. Mercedes F1 team 2017 season was marked by high levels of tension. The battle between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in his last season came with a lot of awkward moments.
But at the Canadian Grand Prix 2017 all the prickles were smoothed out. As a result, Patrick Stewart became another “victim” of Daniel Ricciardo’s shoey. Lewis Hamilton was adamant. The F1 shoey helped to ease the tension between both Mercedes drivers.
Ricciardo, being in the fast and competitive Red Bull at the time, didn’t even think of stopping. At the following Azerbaijan Grand Prix, he came with fifth F1 shoey and called to rookie Lance Stroll to taste a champagne-filled shoe.
Remarkable that it was the debut season for the Williams driver. Apparently, Stroll made Formula 1 history by taking a christening. And yes he had bad. Stroll’s face was named the 2017 meme of the year. But Lance was not the last one to tasted the champagne from Rissiardo’s shoe.
That was the sixth F1 shoe, which appeared at the Austrian Grand Prix 2017.
Legendary F1 pundit Martin Brundle, who always has to say something, got silence after drinking from Daniel Riccirado’s shoe.
The Williams driver, Valtteri Bottas, resisted and tried to avoid getting involved in the madness until the end of the show. He was adamant. After all, who dares to argue with a cold Finnish man?
In that moment, Sebastian Vettel (the former Ferrari driver) decided to hide from this madness and almost left the podium.
F1 Shoey in 2020
Since Daniel Ricciardo had changed the team and joined Renault F1, there was a long time without him drinking from his shoes on the Formula 1 podiums. It was only in the 2020 F1 season that the tradition was returned, even partially. Consequently, the Australian driver finished third, Valtteri Bottas was second, and Lewis Hamilton was the winner at Emilia Romagna GP 2020.
Mercedes drivers tried to distance themselves from Daniel for a while. But at that point, F1 champion Lewis Hamilton finnally gave up and tried Ricciardo’s F1 shoe for the first time, and perhaps for the last. Fans were surprised. Even Daniel Ricciardo was surprised too. Only Valterri Bottas can’t help but raise his wild eyes.
Lewis Hamilton has previously said that he will never do that.
I’ll never drink it. You can offer me, you can force me, I’ll never do it’.
We can guess he is still feeling the same way.
“It definitely didn’t taste great”
Lewis Hamilton after Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Anyway to step on the podium with the Renault team was a huge achievement for Ricciardo, which he celebrated with his seventh F1 shoey.
In 2021
McLaren driver Lando Norris and McLaren CEO Zak Brown also weren’t wild about F1 shoey. They made the F1 shoey when Ricciardo and Norris won the Italian Grand Prix in 2021.
Lando Norris after all hopes it first ‘shoey’ was also his last
“ I stood by it and was happy to do it. Zak did it as well. I think he really did love it. It was cool, a cool experience. It’s a good memory for everyone. As much as I hated it, I did enjoy it.”
Lando Norris on his first shoey
“It was like being hit by a wave, and you are stuck under the wave, that’s kind of what it felt like, and we were having so much fun. We were like three 12-year-olds up on a podium,”
McLaren CEO Zak Brown
Valterri Bottas was the only one who stood and stared at the craziest thing happening. In spite of all the feelings, that was one of the best days for McLaren.
As a F1 driver, Ricciardo had not risen to the podium very often. But each time was fascinating and filled F1 fans with wild emotions. Even drivers from various racing series had the courage to repeat the gesture wrapped in such emotion.
All F1 drivers who made shoey: to be continued…
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Mark Webber
- Max Verstappen
- Nico Rosberg
- Lance Stroll
- Lando Norris
- Lewis Hamilton
Drinking from shoes in motorsport.
From Europe to Australia, the shoe tradition is spreading like wildfire around the globe; thanks to the turn of the millennium, this practice is gaining ground quickly, young people are known for their curious and daring probes that want to have every bit of fun. Nowadays, it is common to find people at festivals who drink out of their shoes in a fit of fun-seeking frenzy and enjoy every moment as long as it lasts.
NASCAR: Ben Rhodes’ Team Celebrated Truck Championship With a Shoey in 2021.
Indycar: Scott McLaughlin celebrated his NTT IndyCar Series victory with a shoey in 2022. He removed his right shoe and poured in 12 ounces of alcohol with an elaborate flourish.
WRC Rally: Toyota Gazoo Racing Elfyn Evans and his co-driver won the Monza Rally during the 2021 World Rally Championship. We’re not sure about Elfyn, but we saw Scott Martin make a shoey.
Happiness is contagious, for Daniel Ricciardo the joy of victory was one of the reasons he did Shoey to make his fellow Australians proud! The more and more people are following in Daniel’s footsteps to celebrate victories with shoe drinking. It was a promise of Daniel Ricciardo to celebrate his racing in Formula One that has become a tradition among Australian today. Why do people from other countries do it? The simple answer is to just celebrate for fun, rejoice and celebrate victory. Drinking from a shoe is fun because it is unusual!
Sums Up.
Drinking from a shoes is originally an Irish tradition, but no one knows how it started. Even though it began two centuries ago. The shoey didn’t originate in Australia, but it has become a permanent fixture in popular culture in the country. Moreover,continues to till this day.
Australian driver Daniel Ricciaro is that one who started the shoey in F1. But he is not only. MotoGP rider Jack Miller celebrated victory in Holland in June 2016 with a winning shoe.
The following F1 drivers have tried shoey since 2016: Max Verstappen, Nico Rosberg, Lance Stroll, Lando Norris, and Lewis Hamilton. Some liked it, but most didn’t. But still, everyone remembered that moment for a long time.
Whether you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day or having fun in the pub, toast to impress is a way of life for the Irish. A toast that people will remember has to be unique, and drinking from a shoe is a darn right way to remember a great speech. If you feel like making a sustainable toast next, whether you’re in the US, Europe or Asia, why not put a shoe on?! Thank you for reading and drinking from a shoe with us, cheers!
Leave a Comment