F1 News: Mercedes Celebrates Niki Lauda's Life with Special Tribute
Mercedes have made a special tribute to F1 legend Niki Lauda.
Niki Lauda is a huge name in F1 and on top of his huge success in the 70s and 80s he was the non-executive chairman of Mercedes until he sadly passed away in May 2019.
Lauda made his Formula 1 debut at the 1971 Austrian Grand Prix, which was his home race. Over his long and successful F1 career he had three championship wins, 25 race wins, 54 podiums, and 24 pole positions.
One of Lauda's main rivals was James Hunt, which is depicted in a dramatised form in the 2013 film Rush, which also showed Lauda's great determination and passion for the sport.
The Austrian driver made his return to the F1 world in 1993 consulting for Ferrari, who he had previously driven for as well as March, BRM, Brabham, and McLaren. Halfway through the 2001 season, Lauda went on to become the Jaguar team principal until he, along with many others, was made redundant in 2002.
After his appointment as the non-executive chairman at Mercedes in 2012, he was a driving force behind signing Lewis Hamilton to the team with a three year deal in 2013.
Playing a hugely influential role in Mercedes, the team CEO Toto Wolff has revealed that the road leading up to their HQ in Brackley has been renamed to 'Lauda Drive'.
The team posted to Twitter, saying:
"The road at the heart of our home in Brackley has been renamed 'Lauda Drive', continuing Niki's legacy for many years to come."
When revealing the tribute, Wolff said:
“It’s a true honour to unveil Lauda Drive and it was great to see so many team members gather to watch the reveal.
“While our dear friend and colleague Niki wouldn’t have wanted us to make a fuss, he would also be proud to have this road named after him.
“It was a privilege for all of us to work alongside him and I was lucky enough to call him one of my best friends."
Wolff continued:
“He was a massive contributor to our success, a great sparring partner for me and a strong non-executive chairman, who we miss dearly.
“I wish he was still here as my friend and as a chairman, because there would have been many questions I’d have liked to ask him this year.
“His legacy lives on in so many shapes and forms, but to know so many people will pass down Lauda Drive in the years to come is very special.”