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Liam Lawson becomes the 10th driver from New Zealand to compete in an F1 grand prix after stepping in at AlphaTauri as the replacement for the injured Daniel Ricciardo in the Dutch Grand Prix.
The country has produced some legendary names over the years – Bruce McLaren, Chris Amon, and Denny Hulme most notably – but has endured a lean period since 1984.
Red Bull and AlphaTauri reserve driver Lawson now has an opportunity on the main stage after Ricciardo broke his left hand in a crash in practice at Zandvoort. The 21-year-old will start from last on the grid.
Here, Speedcafe brings you a potted history of the nine other drivers from New Zealand who have previously driven in the sport.
Bruce McLaren – 1958-1970
McLaren was the first recipient of the New Zealand International Grand Prix Organisation’s ‘Driver to Europe’ project which helped fast-track promising young drivers from the country on a path to competing with the world’s best.
Without a doubt, McLaren is the most famous motorsport name to have emerged from his nation, scoring 27 podiums from his 100 starts – including four wins – although he failed to win a title in his 13 seasons, with his best finish second to Jack Brabham in 1960.
It is the legacy he left behind following his untimely death in 1970 at the age of 32 for which he is now most remembered, with the team he founded in 1963 since going on to win eight constructors’ and 12 drivers’ championships.
Tony Shelly – 1962
After a successful early career in New Zealand and Australia, and after competing in a number of non-championship events, Shelly was handed his maiden opportunity with John Dalton in a Lotus Climax in the 1962 British Grand Prix at Aintree. Shelly lasted only six laps before retiring with a head gasket failure.
Shelly then failed to qualify for the subsequent race in Germany, and the following event in Italy with Wolfgang Seidel’s operation, which proved to be his last involvement in F1.
Chris Amon – 1963-1976
After 96 starts spread across 14 seasons that included 11 podiums (no wins) and five poles, Amon’s F1 reputation is that of one of the finest drivers never to be crowned champion as he was continually blighted by bad luck.
Amon at least carries the mantle of being the only driver from New Zealand to drive for Ferrari as he spent three seasons with the team from 1967-69, finishing a career-high fifth in the first of those years.
Amon’s main claim to fame is winning the 1966 Le Mans with Bruce McLaren in a Ford GT40.
Denny Hulme – 1965-1974
New Zealand’s only F1 champion, Hulme started out at Brabham, going on to claim his title with the team in 1967 in which he scored two wins – including his first in the sport in Monaco – along with six additional podiums.
Hulme was in the hunt for the 1968 title with Bruce McLaren’s team as he went into the final two races level on points with Graham Hill, only to retire in those rounds in the United States and Mexico and finish third, a feat he repeated in 1972 with McLaren.
An old-school driver who competed in numerous other series in tandem with his F1 exploits, Hulme died of a heart attack whilst competing in the 1992 Bathurst 1000.
Howden Ganley – 1971-1974
After finishing second to Peter Gethin in the 1970 European Formula 5000 championship, Ganley signed with BRM for the 1971 F1 season, scoring points in four races over the following two seasons, with highs of fourth in the ’71 US and ’72 Italian Grands Prix.
Ganley joined Frank Williams Racing Cars in 1973, but managed only one points finish in the penultimate race of the year in Canada.
In 1974, whilst driving for Maki Engineering, a suspension failure on the car left Ganley with serious ankle and foot injuries which forced him into retirement after 35 starts.
Graham McRae – 1973
A promising early career saw McRae finish third to Ganley in the 1970 European Formula 5000 Championship before winning the title the following year, and placing third again in 1972.
That year, McRae was offered the opportunity of a one-off drive with Tyrrell, replacing Jackie Stewart at the Belgian Grand Prix after the three-time F1 champion sustained an ulcer, only to turn it down due to other commitments.
In 1973, McRae accepted a second opportunity to drive in F1 with Frank Williams Racing in the British Grand Prix, but his one-and-only F1 outing lasted less than a lap due to a multi-car pile-up. McRae was not involved in the accident but a throttle issue meant he was unable to take the restart.
John Nicholson – 1974-75
Primarily running his own engine-building business, Nicholson only entered two grands prix, both the British. He failed to qualify on his first attempt at Brands Hatch in 1974.
The second time around at Silverstone the following year, Nicholson secured 26th and last place on the grid in a Lyncar-Ford, going on to be classified 17th, albeit five laps down after being involved in an accident as a storm hit the circuit.
Mike Thackwell – 1980-1984
In 1980, and seen as a rising star, Thackwell signed as a test driver for Tyrrell, although his first experience was with Arrows that year after being asked to step in for the injured Jochen Mass. He just missed out on qualifying for the race.
Thackwell eventually debuted for Tyrrell two races later in Canada albeit giving up his car to Jean-Pierre Jarier following a first-lap pile-up. In the final race of the year in the US, he again failed to qualify.
Following a major testing accident in an F2 car in 1981, Thackwell had to wait another three years for his next F1 outing, albeit retiring in Canada with the RAM team before a one-off return with Tyrrell in Germany where he missed out in qualifying by 0.055secs. That year, he dominated the F2 championship to claim the title.
Brendon Hartley – 2017-2018
New Zealand had to wait 33 years for its next F1 driver, with Hartley handed an opportunity by Toro Rosso late in 2017, deputising for Pierre Gasly in the US, and finishing 13th, before replacing Daniil Kvyat for the final three races.
Toro Rosso handed Hartley a full-time deal for 2018 but he scored only four points across the 21 races, in stark contrast to Gasly’s 29, leading to him being dropped.
Hartley is better known for his sportscar career, winning the World Endurance Championship on four occasions, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times.
