Lawrence gets sponsor, new car

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34133, 21 April 1976, Page 30

Lawrence gets sponsor, new car

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND. The former Tasman and double New Zealand motor-racing champion. Graeme Lawrence, of Hamilton, has received an offer to compete in the six major South-East Asian grand prix races in a fully-sponsored drive. He left with his brother, Brian, yesterday for Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, where a brand-new March 762 with two Brian Hart engines and a full set of tyres is being placed at his disposal for the six races. The first race is the Malaysian Grand Prix at

Kuala Lumpur this weekend — a race he has already won three times. The car has been bought by Rothmans in Singapore and the company has signed Lawrence to drive it in the six races. He would not reveal financial details yesterday, but said that the deal was the best in his 12-year racing career. After the Malaysian Grand Prix, he will race in the Penang Grand Prix for the first time, the following week-end. Ken Smith won this race twice in a row.

In July, he will contest the Philippines Grand Prix around the streets of Manila. He won this race in 1974. In August, he will go. to Jakarta for the Indonesian Grand Prix — the first for cars in that country. Lawrence has been there twice helping Trevor Discombe on the Indonesian motorcycle grand prix. Following that is the Selangor Grand Prix on the Batu Tiga circuit. Lawrence led this race once before striking fuel problems, has finished second in it twice and third once.

In late November, he will run in the Macau Grand Prix on a Monacotype street circuit. He has run this race once, in 1973, finishing third. The deal was confirmed for Lawrence a week ago, but he learned only yesterday that the new March would be completed in time for the Malaysian Grand Prix. Lawrence would not comment on his chances of bringing the car to New Zealand to mce in either the national or international series.