F1
British anthem instead of New Zealand anthem for McLaren wins 'bullshit', says Liam Lawson
Liam Lawson has things to say. © Antonin Vincent / DPPI
Liam Lawson does not mince his words. He did not hesitate to be very vocal last year in estimating that he deserved a starting seat from 2024 after his successful interim in place of Daniel Ricciardo. Helmut Marko did not appreciate it too much and we had already been able to see the Kiwi's full personality. Bis repetita this year after his fights on the track with Fernando Alonso. Although he was told off by the Spanish veteran, the New Zealander did not back down.
“I hope he can recover and we can move forward. He played a little game coming out of the pits (in qualifying). That’s how it is, it’s part of the game and it doesn’t bother me. I understand he had a pretty horrible race and I can understand him being upset. But if I had done something wrong I would have had a penalty.” he had slipped in full of malice. Proof of a certain freedom of tone.
Lawson steps up
If he only has 11 Grand Prix in F1, Liam Lawson has already made his mark on and off the track. His latest diatribe is particularly close to his heart, the New Zealander (and proud of it!). Helmut Marko's protégé has in fact estimated that the team McLaren should play the national anthem of her country and not the British one as is the case today, when she wins races.
As a reminder, McLaren was founded by New Zealander Bruce McLaren in 1963 and made its F1 debut in 1966. Lawson told Radio New Zealand that it was a complete "bullshit". Selon's, "God Save the King" should be replaced by "God Defend New Zealand", in order to truly pay tribute to Bruce McLaren, who died in 1970.
« Red Bull plays the Austrian national anthem and the team is based in the UK. McLaren is based in the UK, but they're a New Zealand team. It's bullshit, that's what it is. Honestly! Especially if you're from New Zealand… because Bruce McLaren is an absolute legend". The message has been received! McLaren, which has won 188 F1 victories, is in fact racing under a British license. The team has won eight constructors' championships, the 24 hours of Le Mans and two Indy 500s.
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Jeremy Satis
Deputy Digital Editor & F1 Reporter
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Yves-Henri RANDIER
01/01/2025 at 11:41 a.m.
@Eric STEVENS: New Zealand is a very far away (really very far away!) but beautiful country with much nicer inhabitants than their rough-hewn cowboy Australian neighbors. The roads, whether tarmac or gravel, are sumptuous. As for car manufacturing, licensed assembly was rare there, but that has been ancient history for some time; only Rodin Cars builds a few very special vehicles there (https://www.rodin-cars.com/) and has superb facilities at Wandle Downs near Mount Lyford in the South Island, facilities that Liam Lawson does not know because he has never been a member of Rodin Motorsport, a Kiwi team based in ... Great Britain🤣!
Samuel
31/12/2024 at 02:55 a.m.
Liam Lawson certainly knows how to make himself heard, but he is not at all "vocal", this expression being a pitiful adaptation of the English. Come on...
eric stevens
31/12/2024 at 12:14 a.m.
and bugatti is not a french brand.. we get bored during the off season but that's no reason to say anything! i wouldn't be surprised if a peugeot grandfather was german and cadillac was french. mclaren (the team!) has always been registered in england, the rest of the world doesn't care what new zealanders think, they should first build a car and roads! lawson's lesson in humility is planned for 2025! i remain convinced that he is a future great with a real personality
Yves-Henri RANDIER
11/11/2024 at 09:51 a.m.
The Kiwi is right, the New Zealand anthem should honour every McLaren victory that should race under New Zealand licence!