LIAM LAWSON has slammed McLaren for playing God Save the King when they win races, labelling the decision “bulls***”.
The Kiwi F1 driver, who competes with RB, believes McLaren should ditch the anthem given the team was founded by a New Zealand motor sport legend.
McLaren, Britain’s most successful F1 team, was founded by four-time grand prix winner Bruce McLaren in 1963.
Lawson said on the Red Flags podcast: “It’s a New Zealand team, the name is still McLaren. I have no idea,
“Red Bull play the Austrian national anthem and the team’s based in the UK. McLaren’s based in the UK, but it’s a New Zealand team.
“It’s completely bulls***, that’s what it is.
“Honestly! Especially if you’re from New Zealand… because Bruce McLaren is an absolute legend.”
Lawson replaced Daniel Ricciardo on the roster at RB following this year’s Singapore Grand Prix.
McLaren play the British anthem after race wins because they race under a British licence, since the team was founded in England and has always been based in the country.
But the team still runs the papaya colour scheme McLaren used in the team’s first race victory at Spa in 1968, and its first logo featured the flightless kiwi bird.
Bruce McLaren, also a designer and engineer, was tragically killed in an accident while testing a car in Britain in 1970.
He toasted four F1 race wins, the final one being the Belgian Grand Prix in 1968.
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McLaren was also a runner-up in the 1960 F1 drivers’ championship and took out the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966.
The race team, which is the second-oldest on the grid, has claimed 188 Formula One race wins, 12 drivers’ championships and eight constructors’ championships.
