John Nicholson – b 6 October 1941; d 19 September 2017
Aucklander Nicholson was renowned for his engine-building prowess, working for Bruce McLaren in the early years, before setting up Nicholson-McLaren that tuned Cosworth DFVs to World Championship-winning level with Emerson Fittipaldi and James Hunt in the mid-1970s. Nicholson was also a good pedaller, competing against up-and-coming names in the lower formulas and winning two Formula Atlantic titles. He made one GP start, in Silverstone’s British Grand Prix in 1975, in an uncompetitive Lyncar, a machine he had commissioned. He qualified 26th and last but was classified 18th after crashing five laps before the end of the rain-shortened race. While continuing his thriving engine business he enjoyed success in powerboat racing, taking several British titles.
Tony Shelly – b 2 February 1937; d 4 October 1998
Hailing from Wellington, Shelly is probably the least-known of the ‘Kiwi Eight’. His only World Championship start came in the British GP at Silverstone in 1962 in a Lotus 18. He started 18th of the 21 runners and retired the car after just five laps when the Climax engine failed. He entered two more races that year, in Germany with the 18 and Italy with a BRM-engined 24, but failed to qualify on both occasions. And that was that for Shelly in Formula 1.