WATCH: Max Verstappen gets first-ever 'kiss-activated' trophy after Japan grand prix win
People waiting for the Japanese Grand Prix final were finally able to witness the first-ever kissable trophy in action
September 27, 2023
Max Verstappen's jaw-dropping performance at the Japanese Grand Prix 2023 this past weekend made headlines, but fans were most excited to see the first-ever "kissable trophy" during Sunday's championship race.
Prior to Sunday’s qualifying session, it was announced that the podium finishers at the Suzuka International Race Course would receive the first-ever "kiss-activated" Formula 1 trophy.
This has never been done at the highest level of motor racing, so the excitement around the world has been contagious ever since the reveal.
According to First Sportz, the gorgeous trophies have sensors that activate when someone kisses the area that is labelled, "Kiss Me".
Additionally, the trophies' lights illuminate and change to the winning nation's colour when the sensor-equipped spots are kissed.
People who had been counting down the seconds until the Japanese Grand Prix, a novelty in motorsport, were finally able to witness the unique trophy as Belgian-Dutch racing driver and F1 champion Max Verstappen kissed the rare trophy to celebrate his victory.
After surviving a dramatic opening lap and pulling comfortably ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Verstappen and Red Bull won the Japanese Grand Prix, securing a second constructors' championship for the Milton Keynes team.
Both Norris and Piastri attempted to attack Verstappen at first, but he was able to fend them off. After completing the Virtual Safety Car and Safety Car periods without incident, he sped off into the distance to win the race for the 13th time this season.
Red Bull used this information to mathematically rule out their rivals' chances of winning the constructors' championship, allowing them to repeat their success from 2022 and win two races in a row.
This highlights the team's supremacy during the current F1 ground effect era and adds to the titles the team already has from 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013.
The British driver started out in front, fell behind when Piastri pitted under a virtual safety car, but then displayed enough speed for the team to switch positions.
The battle between the McLaren drivers ultimately went in Norris' favour.
