The ‘shoey’ ritual, Daniel Ricciardo’s signature podium move, may have run its course according to the smiling Aussie.
Instigated last season, the ritual involves pouring champagne into a sweaty racing boot and sipping up the bubbly, spurred on by a raging crowd.
With the Honey Badger a frequent visitor to the podium this season, his boots have been frequently soaked.
But lately, podium visitors have been wanting to get in on the action, with both David Coulthard and Martin Brundle pressing and begging for ‘shoeys’ in Baku and Austria.
“I honestly didn’t plan on doing it. Even in Baku I was, like, ‘ah, I won’t do it’,” Ricciardo told reporters in Silverstone.
“DC (Coulthard) took my shoes off and then in Austria, Martin was frothing for it. I feel like there’s some real sick bastards around here. I never thought it would continue like this.”
- Video: Rosemary Smith is 79 and she just tested a Renault F1 car!
On Wednesday, even London’s F1 Live crowd urged the Red Bull driver to indulge in a shoey demo.
“I’m just walking along, minding my business and they’re like ‘do a shoey’…
“I don’t actually just take my shoe off while I’m walking in the street and drink out of it. I feel like I dug a hole for myself with this one,” he grinned.
“On that note, I feel like it’s been fun. I want to say it’s run its course; we’ll see what happens.”
Ricciardo was disappointed however in Austria, when race winner Valtteri Bottas chickened out on sampling the ritual.
“I heard the Finns drink. I really heard that. But Valtteri did not carry his flag well last Sunday,” he said.
“Shame on him. Wow. Valtteri Bottas. Disappointed. That’s it. No more shoeys.”
GALLERY: F1 drivers’ wives and girlfriends
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter