Young New Zealand driver Liam Lawson has won on his debut in the prestigious German touring car championship (DTM).
Photo: Julian Kroehl
Lawson, 19, has won the season-opening race at Monza for Ferrari and his team AF Corse after starting from fifth on the grid.
He is the youngest ever DTM race winner and comes three months after he won on debut in Formula 2.
"I am very happy with the outcome of the race," Lawson said after becoming the first New Zealander to finish on a DTM podium.
"My start was very good, I was able to make up positions straight away. The pit stop was perfect and the pace was good until the end."
Photo: Julian Kroehl
The decisive moment came as pole sitter, Monaco's Vincent Abril, rejoined the race following his pit stop, almost side by side with Lawson. On tyres that were still cold, Abril had nothing in store as Lawson's Red Bull Ferrari pulled away.
"AF Corse were a bit quicker than us in the pit stops. We have to analyse that exactly, where we lost the time," Abril said.
The second DTM race of the year is on Sunday night (NZT).