Red Bull VCARB driver and New Zealander Liam Lawson took a dig at the McLaren F1 team for ignoring its New Zealand roots, even though the team was founded by the four-time Grand Prix winner and New Zealand legend Bruce McLaren.
McLaren was Formula 1’s second oldest team next to Ferrari founded by Bruce McLaren in 1963 and entered their first Grand prix in Monaco in 1966. The legend is a Formula 1 winner having won 4 Grand Prix in total before he died.
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Liam Lawson is the tenth driver from New Zealand and the last one to be Brendon Hartley in 2018 for Torro Rosso. Lawson feels the McLaren team should not forget their New Zealand roots and their podium anthem should be the New Zealand anthem instead of the British anthem which plays ‘God Save the King’.
After a constructor wins a Grand prix their National Anthem will be played on the podium. McLaren marks their race wins with the 'God Save the King' anthem because they race in Formula 1 under a British license. The team was based out of the UK and hence their anthem was played from the start.
Many teams in Formula 1 history changed their country origins after coming to F1. Red Bull changed their British licence in 2007 to Austrian, Benetton changed from British to Italian in 1996, Team Enstone changed from French to British in 2011 and again to French in 2017 when they raced under Renault's name.
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‘British anthem for a Kiwi team unacceptable’- Lawson
Liam Lawson the Red Bull star wanted a New Zealand anthem instead of a British anthem whenever McLaren wins the race in F1. He said “It makes no sense. It's a New Zealand team, the name is still McLaren. I have no idea.”
He compared McLaren with his team Red Bull as they were also based out of the UK. The New Zealander said “Red Bull Plays the Austrian national Anthem and the team is based in the UK. McLaren is based in the UK, but it's a New Zealand team.
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It's complete Bullsh**t, to be honest. Honestly, especially if you're from New Zealand - because Bruce McLaren is an absolute legend.” The McLaren founder was one of the world’s most loved sporting icons. He is a 24 hours LeMans winner and 4 time Grand prix winner in Formula 1.
He founded the McLaren company and he also raced for the team. He died in 1970 aged 32 while testing the McLaren M8D car in Goodwood circuit, England. Today McLaren team is owned by Mumtalakat Holding company which is a Bahrain sovereign wealth fund and the remainder is owned by US Investment firm MSP Sports Capital.
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