Italian winery Ferrari Trento is the official choice for celebrating in Formula 1. They have no affiliation with the Leclerc and Carlos Sainz team and have a long history that predates Enzo Ferrari’s racing cars. The family-owned Villa Margon, located in Trento, offers a beautiful Renaissance experience with 16th-century frescoes. The modern winery in the valley can store an impressive 20 million bottles and sold over six million last year.
Founded in 1902 by Giulio Ferrari, the business was later sold to Trento wine shop owner Bruno Lunelli in 1952. Lunelli, the third generation of the family, had a friendship with Enzo Ferrari. However, when Ferrari showed interest in investing in their company, they politely declined, as they preferred to remain a family business.
The United States has become Ferrari Trento’s largest export market, thanks in part to the growth of Formula 1 in the country and the success of the Netflix documentary series “Drive to Survive.” Lunelli believes that Formula 1 has played a significant role in their success, especially with the introduction of the Austin Grand Prix in 2021 and the subsequent addition of the Miami Grand Prix in 2022. Florida has now become their main market within the United States.
In countries other than Italy, it is often one of the first questions we receive. If not asked, one of the first things we clarify is the nature of our association with Ferrari. Lunelli added that this association is advantageous due to its simplicity in being memorable. The existing agreement is valid until the end of 2025 and, although Ferrari Trento is interested in extending it, they may face competition as the influence of the sport expands. Lunelli expressed uncertainty about the possibility of continuation and mentioned that only time will tell.
The tradition of champagne in motorsport originated at Le Mans in 1966, when Swiss driver Jo Siffert accidentally sprayed spectators when the cork unexpectedly popped out of a bottle that had been heated by the sun. The following year, American winner Dan Gurney deliberately shook the bottle to recreate the incident. Lando Norris, a regular podium visitor and winner of the Miami race for McLaren in 2021, prefers to forcefully hit the bottle on the ground to release the cork. Unfortunately, this resulted in the porcelain trophy being broken during the Hungarian event. Lunelli expressed a mix of amusement and concern, acknowledging that, while the spectacle is fun, they are only responsible for the content of the bottle and not the fragility of the glass. He joked expressing hope that Norris does not apply more force than he already does. (Reported by Alan Baldwin)
