When Gurney showed everyone how to celebrate!

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Driver, manufacturer and innovator extraordinaire, Dan Gurney's outstanding legacy will live on forever.

In 1967, Gurney teamed up with AJ Foyt to win the Le Mans 24 Hours for Ford, a victory of huge significance for the US manufacturer but also one which marked the beginning of a celebration ritual.

On the podium, Gurney was handed a Magnum of Moët & Chandon champagne which he proceeded to uncork and... well, Dan picks up the story from here:

"I was so stoked that when they handed me the champagne , I shook the bottle and began spraying at the photographers, drivers, Henry Ford II, Carroll Shelby and their wives," he once remembered.

"It was a very special moment at the time, I was not aware that I had started a tradition that continues in winner's circles all over the world to this day".

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.