How Liam Lawson created a 49-year first despite being just short of matching the late Chris Amon

Tuesday, 1 July 2025

Liam Lawson’s career-best performance at the Austrian Grand Prix was also a breakthrough for New Zealand motorsport.

The Racing Bulls driver’s sixth, was the best result by a Kiwi in Formula 1 since the late Chris Amon’s fifth at the 1976 Spanish Grand Prix.

Lawson, who said he was “lucky to survive” a first lap incident that ended the race for Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli, executed a one-stop strategy to secure the best result of his career after also qualifying sixth.

His previous best was his eighth-place finish in Monaco back in May.

During his post-race interviews in Austria, Lawson was told that he had achieved the best result by a Kiwi since Amon.

'Is it really?' Lawson quizzed RacingNews365. 'That's pretty cool.”

Ironically, just like Austria was with Lando Norris, the 1976 Spanish Grand Prix was also won by a McLaren, with James Hunt claiming the chequered flag that day.

Amon, who died in 2016 aged 73, after a battle with cancer, was widely regarded as the best driver never to have won an F1 Grand Prix after scoring 11 podiums and five pole positions.

'Obviously, for New Zealand, it's great as well,' Lawson said.

A few Kiwis are coming up, and hopefully in the future, we can have some more of them on the way into Formula 1,' Lawson told RacingNews365.