New Zealand may be small, but Formula 1 is hugely popular there. Once the country had Bruce McLaren, now it has Liam Lawson. They are different greats, asserts their compatriot and our columnist, Graham Watson.
As a New Zealander, when I think of 75 years of Formula 1, I immediately think of a legendary compatriot, Bruce McLaren. A racing driver, designer, and founder of the F1 team McLaren. Formula 1 is practically a cultural heritage in New Zealand, thanks to McLaren, with Denny Hulme who drove for McLaren and Chris Amon who raced for Ferrari in his slipstream.
When I left school, I got my first job at a garage business called Town and Country Motors. The owners of the garage, Kevin and Ross Stone, worked as mechanics for the McLaren F1 team in the 70s. So I also felt personally connected to McLaren, not least because of the role of my father, who owned all the books about Bruce McLaren and often talked about him.
I wonder how Bruce McLaren would view Formula 1 today. There is no doubt that he would be proud of the sporting resurgence of his team. After all, just two years ago, McLaren was the slowest team on the grid, and now it is the reigning constructors’ champion and contender for both the driver’s title and the constructors’ title in 2025. This is a big deal in New Zealand because of the history. Don’t forget, the team still has the Kiwi symbol on its logo.
Highlight
McLaren has provided many special moments in 75 years of Formula 1, and I also have a personal highlight during that time. Namely, the day in 1996 when I got my first job in F1 at the Benetton team. Because I had always thought that something like that was unattainable for me. I will never forget that first day in the factory: the surreal realization of being part of a great team in a great sport. It has been defining for the rest of my life.
I strongly feel that I am currently witnessing a special era in the sport. We have seen historic duels in recent years, think of the rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in 2021 and the bizarre climax of the title fight in Abu Dhabi that year. If we could get such a sensational climax again this season, it would perfectly fit the 75th anniversary of Formula 1. It could just happen…
