For a country with a population just shy of 5.3 million people, New Zealand has produced a disproportionate number of professional racers. Liam Lawson, of course, landed himself a permanent seat at Red Bull for next year, Shane Van Gisbergen is preparing for the NASCAR Cup series, and the Kiwi Scotts — Scott McLaughlin and Scott Dixon — remain dominant threats in IndyCar. All despite the fact that very little top-tier racing takes place in the country itself. Even if New Zealand has some of the “best tracks in the world,” according to Lawson.
The 22-year-old admitted he would do “whatever” it takes to see a Grand Prix on his home turf added to the F1 calendar. Though he knows it's not happening anytime soon. “The tracks would need to be upgraded a little bit to FIA standard,” he said in a recent interview. “So I would say it’s probably not [going to happen], but it’s something that I would be very hopeful for. Whatever I could do to make it happen, I would definitely do.”
