Liam Lawson will do anything to get F1 racing in New Zealand

For a country with a population of just 5.3 million people, New Zealand has produced a disproportionate number of professional racers. Of course Liam Lawson, landed myself A permanent seat at Red Bull For next year, Shane Van Gisbergen is preparing for the NASCAR Cup Series, And Kiwi Scots – Scott McLaughlin And scott dixon – Major threats remain indycarAll this despite the fact that there is very little top level racing in the country. According to Lawson, even though New Zealand has “some of the best tracks in the world”.

The 22-year-old admitted he would do “anything” to see a grand prix on his home turf added to the F1 calendar. However he knows that this is not going to happen in the near future. “The track will require a slight upgrade to FIA standard,” he said in a statement. recent interview“So I would say it’s probably not (going to happen), but it’s something I’m very hopeful for. Whatever I can do to make it happen, I will definitely do it.”

New Zealand doesn’t make much of a presence in any global racing series, but Highlands Motorsports Park, Lawson’s favorite course in the world – where he holds the track record – will be his dream addition to the calendar.

Several countries are bidding to host F1 races and expand the horizons of the series, such as official dialect of rwandaF1 is clearly looking to set new flags. However the fact that Highlands Motorsports Park is a five-hour drive from Christchurch, on New Zealand’s sparsely populated South Island, doesn’t help its chances. Even the defending champion’s gonna do that lost their home race,

At least Lawson can keep in touch with his fellow Kiwi racers. Shane van Gisbergen has been an early mentor to the Red Bull driver, who is 13 years his junior. “Obviously, I went the touring car route, and he went chasing the dream in Europe in single-seaters,” van Gisbergen told me recently. “The way he has got to F1 has been a bit difficult over the years. But now I feel very excited and proud to see him getting this opportunity full time.