Mercedes Sponsor's CEO Apologises Over Singapore GP Podium Celebration

Tengku Muhammad Taufik and George Russell on the podium, Singapore, 2025

The CEO of Mercedes title sponsor Petronas has apologised for his actions during the podium celebration at last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.

Tengku Muhammad Taufik, who has been CEO of Petronas since 2020, accepted he may have unintentionally caused offence by celebrating with champagne following George Russell’s victory at the Marina Bay circuit.

He joined the ceremony with Max Verstappen and Lando Norris as Mercedes’ representative on the podium. All three drivers began the traditional champagne-spraying celebration, which he then joined in with.

The Petronas CEO said that amid the excitement of the team’s victory he failed to remember there were potential “sensitivities” around the use of alcohol in the celebration.

“I acknowledge that my spur-of-the-moment exuberance in celebrating that moment of victory may have been misplaced,” he said in a statement reported by The Straits Times.

“While I can categorically state I did not consume any alcohol, as a Muslim, I should have been more aware of the sensitivities associated with taking part in such celebrations.

“I want to apologise for any unintended offence caused and take full responsibility for my actions.”

F1 uses non-alcoholic substitutes for champagne at events where local laws prevent alcohol consumption and promotion, such as the Bahrain, Saudi Arabian and Abu Dhabi grands prix. This is not the case at the Singapore Grand Prix, nor was it done at the Malaysian Grand Prix, which last took place in 2017 and was sponsored by Petronas.

Petronas has been Mercedes’ title sponsor since the team returned to Formula 1 as a constructor in 2010. Russell’s victory on Sunday was their 122nd victory during their time together. The Singapore Grand Prix is the closest event to Malaysia, where Petronas is based, and this was the first time Mercedes had won it since 2018.