Lawson’s return
From the next United States Grand Prix on the Austin circuit, Liam Lawson he will return to Formula 1 as an official driver after a period of five races already held last season. Curiously, in 2023 the young talent took Daniel Ricciardo’s place in the AlphaTauri team (now Racing Bulls), in that case due to an injury suffered by the Australian during Free Practice of the Dutch GP. Today, however, the 22-year-old will once again take over from the former Red Bull, this time permanently after the latter’s unconvincing results.
Nine New Zealanders before Lawson
In this way, not only Lawson will return permanently to Formula 1, but also a driver from New Zealand nationality. If you look at the past, even before the absolute debut of the Red Bull school driver, only nine drivers had managed to make the big leap into the Circus. The last one, in chronological order, was Brendon Hartleyalso linked to the colors of the Faenza team (then Toro Rosso), but with only 4 points scored between 2017 and 2018. A driver who has therefore not gone down in the annals of Formula 1, unlike his other compatriots.
The great successes
The most emblematic case is undoubtedly that of Denny Hulme. The only New Zealander to have competed in more than 100 races and above all the only one to have won a world title, Hulme graduated world champion in 1967in a career that saw him on the top step of the podium eight times and with 33 podiums achieved. The other New Zealander who managed to win between the 50s and 60s was Bruce McLarenwhich closed four times in front of everyone. Before losing his life at Goodwood in 1970, in 1966 he founded his own team then called Bruce McLaren Motor Racing. A team subsequently destined to write the history of Formula 1 and known today as McLarenwinner of 8 Constructors’ and 12 Drivers’ World Championships. Hulme and McLaren were therefore the only ones to achieve at least one success in F1 during their careers, but together with them there was another driver capable of achieving the podium at least once: Chris Amon. Author of 11 top three finishes and 5 pole positions between the 60s and 70s, he raced for prestigious teams such as Lotus, Tyrrell, Brabham and Ferrari.
Uphill races
Throughout its history, Formula 1 met other New Zealand drivers, who however had to deal with less satisfactory results. If we exclude the aforementioned Hartley (with Lawson already in the points in the 5 races played in 2023), before him there was another compatriot who finished in the points: Howden Ganley. Between 1971 and 1973, in most cases at the wheel of BRM, he obtained a total of 10 points, achieving his first notable result in Monza. Finally, the experiences in F1 of four other drivers were decidedly more unfortunate Anthony Shelly, John Nicholson, Graham McRae and Mike Thackwell: all of them, in different decades, managed to qualify for very few GPs, without ever being able to see the checkered flag.
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