Kiwi F1 driver Liam Lawson has slammed McLaren for playing the UK national anthem after race victories, given that the famous race team was founded by a New Zealand motor sport legend.

McLaren, Britain’s most successful F1 team, was founded by four-time grand prix  winner Bruce McLaren in 1963.

Lawson, who is the 10th Kiwi driver to grace the F1 grid after replacing Daniel Ricciardo on the roster at RB following this year’s Singapore Grand Prix, believes it’s ‘completely bulls**t’ that McLaren play God Save the King after race wins.

‘It’s a New Zealand team, the name is still McLaren. I have no idea,’ Lawson said on the Red Flags podcast.

‘Red Bull play the Austrian national anthem and the team’s based in the UK. McLaren’s based in the UK, but it’s a New Zealand team.

‘It’s completely bulls**t, that’s what it is.

‘Honestly! Especially if you’re from New Zealand… because Bruce McLaren is an absolute legend.’

McLaren play the British anthem after race wins because they race under a British licence, since the team was founded in England and has been based in the country since its inception.

Some teams have indeed changed their nationality by changing their racing licence, including Red Bull and Benetton – but this is not the case with McLaren.

However, the team still runs the papaya colour scheme McLaren used in the outfit’s first race victory at Spa in 1968, and its first logo featured the flightless kiwi bird.   

Bruce McLaren, also a designer and engineer, was tragically killed in an accident while testing a car in Britain in 1970.

He claimed wins in four F1 races, the final one being the Belgian Grand Prix in 1968.

McLaren was also a runner-up in the 1960 F1 drivers’ championship and took out the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966.

The race team, which is the second-oldest on the grid, has claimed 188 Formula One race wins, 12 drivers’ championships and eight constructors’ championships.