Liam Lawson is not happy the British national anthem rings out whenever McLaren wins out.
“It makes no sense,” he told Red Flags recently. “It’s a New Zealand team. The name is still McLaren.”McLaren was founded by Bruce McLaren in 1963 and entered F1 three years later. But while its founder, like Lawson, is a New Zealander, the team is based in the UK and its victories are celebrated with the British national anthem.
“Red Bull play the Austrian national anthem and the team’s based in the UK,” Lawson continued. “McLaren is based in the UK, but it’s a New Zealand team.”
Lawson is of course right that Red Bull, based in Milton Keynes founded and funded by an Austrian, marks its victories with renditions of Bundeshymne der Republik Österreich. Except, that is, their breakthrough victory at Shanghai in 2009, where the British anthem was erroneously performed.
But some teams continue to prioritise location over ownership. For an example of that, Lawson should look no further than his own team. RB is also owned by Red Bull, but principally based in Faenza in Italy, and marked its most recent win in 2020 (when it was called AlphaTauri) with Il Canto degli Italiani.
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It’s not unheard of for teams to change which anthem they prefer. After Italian fashion brand Benetton took over the British Toleman team in 1986, they marked their first victory later that year with the British national anthem, on the instruction of none other than Luciano Benetton himself. They later switched to using the Italian anthem.
Bruce McLaren was no doubt proud to represent his country as the first beneficiary of its ‘Driver to Europe’ scheme, which he won in 1958. But when he became a constructor five years later he didn’t call it ‘Team New Zealand’ in the same way Enzo Ferrari didn’t call his ‘Team Italy’ and Jack Brabham didn’t call his ‘Team Australia’.
Frank Williams’ outfit wasn’t called ‘Team Britain’ and you could hardly accuse him of being unpatriotic. Once, when executives of German engine manufacturer BMW showed up to ink an engine deal at his factory, he arranged for a friend to fly over in a World War Two-era Spitfire fighter aeroplane.
In the early years of the world championship, teams were tightly bound to national identities. British teams raced in green, Italian in red and so on. In those days F1 teams could be thought of as comparable to national football squads.
But those days are long gone. National colours are gone, replaced by sponsors. Today F1 teams are more like club squads.
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Manchester City may not have moved geographically but their income and players are drawn from far beyond the borders of their homeland. Those who still regard F1 teams as national entities rather than corporate ones are being unrealistic.
So Lawson isn’t entirely wrong: It doesn’t make sense for McLaren, based in Britain spending Bahraini and US money, headed up by an American and an Italian, powered by German engines and staffed by employees of many nations, to mark their victories by playing ‘God Save the King’. Or, for that matter, any other country’s anthem.
Better, then, to do away with playing anthems for constructors entirely. While they’re at it, spare us the pointless pre-race anthem performance, foisted upon F1 a decade ago as a sop to Vladimir Putin, which drivers are still forced to attend on pain of penalty.
Alternatively, select a song which encapsulates the essential attitude of all national anthems which can be performed whichever team wins. Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner’s national anthem of Cave 76 would suffice.
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David
12th November 2024, 7:42
Answer is simple. McLaren have had no connection to New Zealand since Ron Dennis and Project Four took over. It’s a British team.
As much as Zak likes papaya paint, Bruce McLaren’s legacy is no more than his name.
Liam is wasting his energy getting upset about it.
pez2k (@pez2k)
12th November 2024, 8:29
Exactly the point that I’m surprised the article missed – the modern team is effectively Dennis’ Project Four with a heritage name attached. Either way, McLaren itself was always based in the UK, and I believe they were also listed as a British team even before Bruce McLaren’s accident, so I suspect he wouldn’t be too disappointed in it remaining that way in exchange for the legend it’s become.
Gavin Campbell
12th November 2024, 7:59
I’d argue the pre race anthem is probably the most appropriate? And is the norm before many sporting events.
Some people get out of shape over the nationalistic side but sport is a good place for it. Cheer on your fellow country men and women – respect the place you are in – shake hands at the end.
Rhys Lloyd (@justrhysism)
13th November 2024, 1:56
I agree wholeheartedly
SteveP
12th November 2024, 8:05
I like the attitude of the Japanese fans, they adopt a particular team as their team – it isn’t about nationality at all.
The less said about that bit of suck-up, the better.
Unfortunately, someone is bound to suggest an “F1 anthem” and various people won’t like it.
David (@nvherman)
12th November 2024, 10:20
As an F1 anthem, can Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” be beaten?
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
12th November 2024, 20:02
There already is an F1 anthem – Brian Tyler’s “F1 Theme”, which plays at the end of every race!
Chris Card
12th November 2024, 8:10
They can keep the pre-race anthems, as there is no better time for a last minute pit stop so your bladder is empty for the race.
Other than that, I do agree that national anthems for constructors are pointless in the modern globalised world.
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai)
12th November 2024, 9:49
Pretty dismissive of the hundreds or thousands of team members who constructed the car who came from other countries, dual citizens etc. to be brushed aside for the British or other anthem just to swamp their efforts.
It’s out of date…like me
Dex
12th November 2024, 11:34
I’m not a Brit, also not a fan of British nationalism we often witness in F1, but come on… Those people work for a British team and are mostly based in the UK. They can’t be offended by thr British anthem, or expect to hear their own anthems (that would take an hour or two). They are professionals representing McLaren, not themselves, and are (well) paid to do it. Who cares about their individual citizenship and if they have multiple passports? I’ve never heard my own anthem being played during an F1 weekend, but that doesn’t make me sad.
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai)
12th November 2024, 12:04
I never mentioned McLaren. I said those racing under … what? ” Flags of convenience” is unrepresentative of those who actually do the work .Construct the car. They are the ones who put the money in the pockets of those who “pay them well”
As for the British own everything , I’m using a scientific form of rebuttal.
BS,MS, PhD.
The last is a contraction of piled higher and deeper.
Chris Card
12th November 2024, 8:17
Ps… aren’t the national anthems mostly about justifying the use of public funds to subsidise race hosting fees? Something government ministers can point to (however pointlessly) to justify dipping into culture dept funds to support the local race promoter?
However excruciating they might be, we are unlikely to see the idea dropped if it is adding something to F1’s bottom line, as the direction of travel must be ever upwards!
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
12th November 2024, 20:26
The podium anthems are because when podium music started being a thing in Grand Prix racing, it was the 1930s (possibly earlier) and nationalism was all the rage.
The pre-race anthem is because Vladimir Putin wanted to hear the Russian anthem at some point during the weekend, and in 2014 there was no chance of it being because a Russian-registered driver or team won the race (there was a Russian-registered team on the grid, but Marussia wasn’t exactly a victory candidate when the pre-race anthem was being considered).
Jere (@jerejj)
12th November 2024, 8:18
Lawson may be half right & McLaren may have its roots in New Zealand establishing itself as a British company only in 1989 after some research, but playing the British anthem for their victories has still always been fully fitting.
If anything, the Mercedes team is perhaps even more British despite the car manufacturer itself being German & the German anthem getting played for their victories.
I not only disagree with stopping the team anthem tradition but even more so with the pre-race anthem.
I fail to see literally anything wrong with playing the host country’s anthem before each race or sports game, for that matter, so making a fuss out of this aspect is pointless.
Thomas
12th November 2024, 8:20
I completely agree with the conclusion, national anthems and flags add nothing to Formula 1 and should be removed.
I watch Formula 1 to see incredible drivers in incredible cars.
tielemst
12th November 2024, 8:54
To be fair to RB: every time you have the chance to play the Italian anthem you should. Even a non-italian like me gets fired up from that.
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
12th November 2024, 12:37
It sounds so Italian! I didn’t care that it was Ross & Michael up there. It soundtracked ‘Ferrari’ like a 5yr old in oversized boots with a vuvuzela. Even the ‘mezzos’ only last a couple of seconds and it’s back in ‘fortississimos’ with gusto! It’s brilliant.
If we think ‘God Save the Queen’ is dull however, if Lance starts winning ‘oh………. please no’.
Jojo
12th November 2024, 9:08
And there I always thought it was the USA Grand Prix that started the pre-race national anthem.
It doesn’t really bother me one way or another but there have been some occasions that they really needed to find better musicians or singers to perform, as some of them have sounded terrible!
BasCB (@bascb)
12th November 2024, 13:02
To me it seems the US renditions have been contests to find out who does the most pathetic sounding a capella version of their anthem in recent year. But no, it was indeed dictator Putin who imposed this habit upon our sport.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
12th November 2024, 20:30
@bascb In defence of the USA, from a technical standpoint “The Star-Spangled Banner” is one of the world’s most difficult national anthems to sing. Given how many bad renditions of “God Save The Queen” I’ve heard (and performed – I’m trying to learn how to play it at the moment and it’s trickier than it looks for a beginner…), we probably shouldn’t be surprised that there are a fair number of people whose performances of “The Star-Spangled Banner” do not do it justice.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
12th November 2024, 20:27
The USA was doing pre-race anthems in other sports and series long before 2014, but it was Russia that brought it to F1.
Moi
12th November 2024, 9:27
With business savvy like that at the helm, now wonder Williams went under.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
12th November 2024, 20:28
Williams did not go under, it was sold several years after Frank retired from team leadership.
DavidS (@davids)
12th November 2024, 9:29
Once again, the Brits lose any ability to detect sarcasm as soon as Blighty is insulted.
It’s a pretty well established joke in the Antipodes. Maybe we need famous Australian actor Russell Crowe to come and explain it?
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai)
12th November 2024, 9:43
Or on the musical scene Keith Urban could belt out Advance Australia Fair followed by Shane van Gisbergen doing a hot lap in a tin top to show how Aussies do it
Matt (@hollidog)
12th November 2024, 10:10
SVG is a kiwi…
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai)
12th November 2024, 10:35
Whoosh. That’s the bloody point . So are Crowe, Urban and SVG. Kiwis all. That’s why Aussies was in italics.
I give up
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
13th November 2024, 8:14
He could come and sing it, like Damian Lewis at Silverstone.
Heartily endorse the “Get rid of it” paragraph. It’s all about the drivers. Otherwise, play the NZ, British, US and Bahrain anthems all at the same time.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
12th November 2024, 10:16
Wasn’t Louis Chevrolet Swiss? yet the company is probably the most american thing ever.
After all, the team choses their identity, like Benetton did as explained.
Ibex
12th November 2024, 22:48
You’re correct.
In the middle of listening to the audiobook of Made in America by Bill Bryson, a very entertaining & interesting history of the English language in America.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
12th November 2024, 10:22
Also, what’s wrong with the pre-race anthem? you’re views about Russia or the USA, aside, it’s called the Spanish Grand Prix, or the French Grand Prix, or whatever. It’s supposed to be the top race event in the country, it makes sense that there’s a national pride about it.
Better complain about the military displays which are tasteless, rather than national anthems.
Coventry Climax
12th November 2024, 16:57
Technically, you are right, regarding the events supposed to be each country’s top racing event.
Whether that is actually the case, is another matter, but they will play the anthem at other events too, I’m sure.
More worrying to me is that anything ’national’, be it flag, anthem or attached sentiments, are closely knit to exactly that tasteless military display.
Actually, equally tasteless, as far as I’m concerned.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
12th November 2024, 20:34
@fer-no65 The annoying part for me is that it’s done so late in the race weekend. As if everything that went before it was completely irrelevant, and the anthem itself not important enough to put at either end of the occasion. Running it 80% of the way into the event insults event and anthem alike.
In the sports I did where anthems got played (national, competition or otherwise), it always happened right at the start of the competition – or at the point in proceedings when awards were given out (at the end of a race or competition).
Ibex
12th November 2024, 22:57
National anthems have been played at races for as long as anyone can remember.
But the current formal national anthem ceremony (which the drivers are forced to attend, interrupting their race preperations) began only in 2014. It was introduced at the first Russian Grand Prix, to keep Vladimir Putin happy.
The drivers & teams hate it. The only people who want it are those who bask in its glory – egotistic FIA presidents, representatives of the commercial rights holders & the oppressive despots who are paying their over-inflated hosting fees.
Ibex
12th November 2024, 23:02
I agree about the distasteful military displays. They may seem harmless enough in liberal democracies, but in too many of the countries F1 visits the military is seen as an (actively used) instrument of government repression against the population. Their displays & involvement in the event are a political act.
Bob
12th November 2024, 11:28
“But those days are long gone. National colours are gone, replaced by sponsors. Today F1 teams are more like club squads.
Manchester City may not have moved geographically but their income and players are drawn from far beyond the borders of their homeland. Those who still regard F1 teams as national entities rather than corporate ones are being unrealistic.”
So are you saying here, that Manchester City is no longer an English team?? just cause its owners are not English, has players that are not English, and it has sponsors on its shirt LOL that are not English. and because it was founded by an Irish dude………….. What a load of cobswallop lol.
Mclaren has always raced under a british licence, its always been based in Britian, nationality of the person who ” created ” the team is irrelevent as owners come and go like the weather changes, so do players, and sponsors.
Manchester City is an English club regardless of its Irish creator Arthur Connell..
mrfill (@mrfill)
12th November 2024, 11:34
In the case of Mclaren, wouldn’t the Bahrain national anthem be more apt?
matt90
12th November 2024, 11:59
Is he partly joking because NZ actually has 2 national anthems, of which God Save the King is one (although less common than their other)?
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai)
12th November 2024, 12:20
Brabham had it solved when we in Australia also had God Save The Queen (at that time).
You’re right though God Defend New Zealand sung in concert in both Maori and English is much more the norm.
God Save The King is reserved mainly for viceregal occasions.
Long time since I lived there though.
BasCB (@bascb)
12th November 2024, 13:03
Great point there Matt90!
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
12th November 2024, 14:06
Maybe teams should always play the anthem of where they are based? OK it is mostly the UK but not exclusively. At least it would be consistent. Anthem decided by ownership is a very complicated matter. But then Merc playing GSTK? Would not seem right would it? Maybe just leave it up to the teams choice at that time. As it mostly has been it seems.
I don’t agree with Liam though.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
12th November 2024, 20:36
@phil-f1-21 The anthem is decided by where the team is registered with the FIA. As far as the FIA is concerned, this is where the team is administratively based. It is completely consistent, especially as a national sporting authority can only register a team if that team can prove some sort of connection.
Ibex
12th November 2024, 22:45
GSTK for Mercedes would make a certain sense. Seeing as Germany no longer has a monarchy and our current monarch, like his predecessors for the previous three centuries, is descended from George of Hanover. Who was invited to come over in 1714 and become George I by those who preferred a very distantly related protestant foreigner to a more directly related catholic.
Coventry Climax
12th November 2024, 17:02
Has anyone actually looked up where the registration at the chamber of commerce states the McLaren headquarters are?
Just guessing, but that is probably your answer?
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
12th November 2024, 20:37
The Chamber of Commerce is irrelevant to the nationality of McLaren. It’s based on which FIA national sporting authority has McLaren’s registration details.
Coventry Climax
13th November 2024, 10:08
Even if I think it rather strange that any sporting or other non-relevant to the subject authority could decide on where a company is actually seated and registered, it is still: Look at the actual paperwork.
Different organisation, still your answer.
XV
12th November 2024, 18:24
Fine, keep the anthem as it is, but maybe do a haka afterwards.
kcrossle (@kcrossle)
12th November 2024, 21:30
I find Lawson’s assertion a bit odd.
It’s been a couple decades since I visited NZ but it was very difficult to find any trace of Bruce. V8 Supercars were the only motorsport news I saw.
We found our way to the McLaren home, above the garage. Totally anonymous. But Bruce’s sister welcomed us and showed off the work of the Bruce McLaren Trust.
Ibex
12th November 2024, 22:36
Hang on, haven’t both Brabham & McLaren always been entered as British teams operating with a British license? That’s how Bruce McLaren & Jack Brabham chose to set them up and operate them.
So Lawson’s point is…? Is he criticising a New Zealand national hero who’s sadly deceased and unable to defend himself? Or just out for some personal headline grabbing, by someone who seems to know surprising little about the history of his sport and countrymen?
KarenCampbell
13th November 2024, 0:43
I live in Canada. There are 2 Toyota plants in Ontario, one of which made the Toyota that I drive. I don’t drive a Canadian car. I drive a Japanese car. If McLaren wins, they should play the Bahraini national anthem. I don’t like it either, but let’s not be hypocrites.
ryanoceros (@ryanoceros)
13th November 2024, 0:49
They should play Bahrain’s anthem since that’s who owns the team.
Tristan
13th November 2024, 2:50
“Let them all go to hell, except people who watch F1” haha. Very cool.
David Steel
13th November 2024, 4:16
I think that the media has made more of this than Liam did.
Having said that, as a proud kiwi who knows a thing or two, God Save the King is still an official national anthem of New Zealand. So, I guess they do play our anthem…
Tiaki Porangi
13th November 2024, 9:13
I’m getting a bit fed up with Liam Lawson’s attitude, frankly. He seems determined to be as unpleasant as he can to as many people as possible.
Wait until someone tells him New Zealand actually has two national anthems – and one of them is ‘God Save The King’.
And yes, I’m a New Zealander.
Marcus (@marcusw)
13th November 2024, 13:18
Nah pre-race anthems of the host nation are a fitting part of the ceremony I reckon. What we really need is a WELSH registered team (which obviously isn’t happening any time soon!) or a Welsh driver winning races. As an English born, half Scottish man living in Wales, I can fully endorse the Welsh anthem (Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau) as being one of the most rousing anthems out there. You only have to experience the pre-match anthem at a Six Nations Rugby match or the Tenby IronMan Triathlon to appreciate how emotional that one is.
Jim
14th November 2024, 15:12
I’d say do away with anthems completely – driver or constructor.
Motorsport being a very international thing, few drivers still live in their country of birth, so any sense of a driver’s nationality is as irrelevant as it is for a team.
And yes, definitely get rid of the anthem before the race, it’s a waste of everyone’s time, and serves as nothing more than a chance for viewers to make a quick pre-race trip to the fridge/kettle/toilet