A Ferrari and McLaren legend as a driver, a Mercedes legend afterwards and always a Formula 1 legend, Niki Lauda now has a road named after him.
In honour of the three-time F1 World Champion, Mercedes renamed a road at their technology campus in Brackley to ‘Lauda Drive’ as a tribute to Lauda who served as the German team’s Non-Executive Chairman from 2012 until 2019, the year of his passing.
Mercedes team principal, confidante and friend, Toto Wolff said on the occasion: “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.
“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,” concluded Wolff.
Lauda, who was world champion with Ferrari (1975 and 1977) and McLaren (1984), is credited for luring Lewis Hamilton away from McLaren to Mercedes, which ultimately led to the mighty run in which they gobbled up 15 F1 titles in eight years, the majority witnessed by Niki.
The road at the heart of our home in Brackley has been renamed ‘Lauda Drive’, continuing Niki’s legacy for many years to come. ? pic.twitter.com/kxQDQsMMql
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) November 30, 2022