POPPING CORKS: Last year, Moët & Chandon celebrated its grand return to Formula 1 at the opening Grand Prix in Australia by flying a cork-shaped hot-air balloon over Melbourne.
The season kickoff marked the first time since 1997 that the house was present as the official Champagne of the motorsports championship.
Now Moët & Chandon is preparing to return as title sponsor of the 2027 Australian Grand Prix, it revealed Thursday.
The race will take place later than usual, from April 2 to 4, making it the third stop on the F1 circuit, though it will benefit from the addition of a sprint race, a popular shorter format that takes place on the Saturday before the main Grand Prix race on Sunday.
Since its parent company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton signed a 10-year deal to become the global luxury partner of Formula 1, Moët & Chandon has been title partner of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.
There, it redesigned the Cool Down Room where the top three drivers regroup after the race and introduced a new champion’s corridor leading up to the podium. This year, it took part in the launch of an exclusive culinary experience, codesigned by Formula 1 and LVMH’s wines and spirits division Moët Hennessy, that allowed guests to dine on the circuit.
Moët & Chandon chief executive officer Sibylle Scherer.
Virgile Guinard/Courtesy of Moët & Chandon
Moët & Chandon has been present in Australia since 1888, when it was served at Melbourne’s Centennial Exhibition.
“Melbourne holds a special place in Moët & Chandon’s story,” said Sibylle Scherer, president and chief executive officer of Moët & Chandon.
“Australia is one of the world’s great Champagne markets and Melbourne gives this title sponsorship a resonance that extends across the Asia-Pacific region. Being there is meaningful: it allows us to celebrate a market that means so much to the maison, while sharing the joy of Moët & Chandon with an even wider Formula 1 community,” she added.
Travis Auld, CEO of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, welcomed the return of the Champagne maker to the Albert Park circuit.
“Moët & Chandon has long been synonymous with excellence, celebration and unforgettable moments, making them the perfect partner as we continue to showcase the Australian Grand Prix as a truly world-class experience,” he said.
