John Nicholson is a former racing driver from Auckland, New Zealand. He participated in two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 20 July 1974. He scored no championship points. Nicholson was the 1973 and 1974 British Formula Atlantic champion, and in his 'day job' was engine builder for McLaren. Nicholson also worked for Cosworth, Lotus, Embassy Hill, and he prepared a Saab engine for use in a Reynard Formula Three car. He commissioned Martin Slater of Lyncar to build him an F1 car, but Nicholson's ambitions stretched mainly to competing in non-championship races. After his F1 exploits, Nicholson turned his sporting attention to powerboat racing. 

October 6th, 1941 in Auckland (Age 83)