The president and chief of Malaysian energy company Petronas has issued an apology for participating in “champagne shower” celebrations at the recently-concluded Formula One event in Singapore, acknowledging that his action was inappropriate.
Tengku Muhammad Taufik faced significant backlash after a clip of him and Mercedes’ driver George Russell spraying each other with champagne on the Singapore Grand Prix podium was circulated online.
The former had been invited to receive the Winning Constructor Trophy on behalf of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas team.
Tengku Taufik addressed the incident in a statement on Tuesday (Oct 7).
“I acknowledge that my spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment exuberance in celebrating that moment of victory may have been misplaced,” he said, referencing the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team’s win on Sunday.
The Petronas chief stated that he was honoured to have been invited to receive the Winning Constructor Trophy on behalf of the team, calling the victory a “much-awaited achievement” in the company’s longstanding partnership with Mercedes-AMG.
Tengku Taufik added that he did not consume any alcohol, but recognised that he should have been more aware of the sensitivities associated with taking part in such celebrations as a Muslim.
“Accordingly, I want to apologise for any unintended offence caused and take full responsibility for my actions,” he said.
Tengku Taufik also thanked the public for their continued support, stating that Petronas’ achievements in Formula One and its upcoming ventures into sustainable fuels will be “a testament to Malaysian innovation and capabilities”.
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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com
