Red Bull Racing’s newest Formula One competitor Liam Lawson has taken a cheeky jab at fans around the world after repeatedly getting labelled an Australian.
Because he’s not Australian. He’s from New Zealand.
Enjoying a simulated drive of Melbourne’s Albert Park track ahead of the Australian Grand Prix this weekend, the 23-year-old responded to performance engineer Richard Wood’s suggestion the race was “almost a home Grand Prix”.
“Almost a home,” Lawson emphasised.
“The amount of times somebody’s said to me, ‘Isn’t New Zealand just part of Australia?’
“Isn’t that the worst thing ever?”
While taking the comparison as tongue-in-cheek, the recruitment drive to claim the New Zealander as an Aussie has only ramped up since his arrival in the country as he prepares for his first race in Red Bull colours.
Lawson took the seat of Perth’s Daniel Ricciardo in the back end of 2024 for Red Bull’s reserve team Visa Cash App Racing Bulls and made another leap in the off-season as Red Bull’s sensational replacement for Mexican driver Sergio Perez.
He will compete alongside teammate and four-time champion Max Verstappen.
Interviewed on Wednesday by The Project’s Sam Taunton alongside the Dutchman, Lawson said “to be here is very very close to home”.
The TV co-host was quick to compare the racer to another famous face claimed by Australia, actor Russell Crowe, who was born in Wellington.
“You’re an Australian now,” Taunton insisted.
But Lawson was quick to shut it down, claiming “This is what they do”.
“I raced here once, and then they were like, ‘Oh Liam Lawson is made from Australia’.”
Urged to finish a famous “Aussie Aussie Aussie” chant, the kiwi grinned, refusing to offer a single “Oi”.
“I’m not doing it,” he said.
“I’m from New Zealand. We’ve got red stars, not white stars.”
Lapping up the circus that is Formula One and all the responsibilities that come with it, the fresh-faced racer rocked a classic Aussie mullet when handed a wig by former AFL player Jack Riewoldt.
“Max has worn this a couple of times,” Riewoldt said.
“I mean that looks spicy,” Verstappen added, pointing to his teammates’ eye-catching hairdo.
Qualifying for Sunday’s race will begin at 4pm local time on Saturday.