He was a complete beast just surviving those procedures and especially the lung transplant at the age he had it done! I'd missed seeing him at the races and enjoyed his no nonsense straight forward interviews.
R.I.P Niki Lauda :(
- Thread starter Kelt
- Start date
He was a complete beast just surviving those procedures and especially the lung transplant at the age he had it done! I'd missed seeing him at the races and enjoyed his no nonsense straight forward interviews.
Soldato
I remember his 1984 world championship as ti was just when I started to follow F1.
It's such a shame that characters like this don't show themselves anymore. So much money, sponsorship and branding just means drivers have to stay on message, wear the right watch on the podium, get the right baseball cap and generally STFU.
Back when he and James Hunt were rivals there was charisma, risk, danger and drivers were heroes.
That is why the sport grew and Niki Lauda was one of the reasons it did.
It's such a shame that characters like this don't show themselves anymore. So much money, sponsorship and branding just means drivers have to stay on message, wear the right watch on the podium, get the right baseball cap and generally STFU.
Back when he and James Hunt were rivals there was charisma, risk, danger and drivers were heroes.
That is why the sport grew and Niki Lauda was one of the reasons it did.
Soldato
He was a complete beast just surviving those procedures and especially the lung transplant at the age he had it done! I'd missed seeing him at the races and enjoyed his no nonsense straight forward interviews.
Oh absolutely he was a beast. And the drive he had to achieve more and stay in the public eye, mentoring and guiding new drivers, when he could have just retired and seen out his days in comfort. Amazing really. They don't make them like that anymore.
Well that's a bugger. It's going to take the mood down a bit this weekend. He was always good for an interview as he didn't feel the need to sugar coat anything and spoke his mind, whilst also having a sense of humour about the sport and himself.
I really hope some of Niki's baseball hats are seen in the paddock this weekend now. Hopefully on the podium too.
Cheers Niki.
I really hope some of Niki's baseball hats are seen in the paddock this weekend now. Hopefully on the podium too.
Cheers Niki.
Deleted member 651465
D
Deleted member 651465
Woke up this morning and saw the wife reading the obituary, which was weird as she doesn’t watch F1.
Gutted, he was not afraid to tell it like it was. Respect for what he achieved after he could have easily walked away.
Gutted, he was not afraid to tell it like it was. Respect for what he achieved after he could have easily walked away.
Soldato
Legend. RIP
Associate
Rest In Peace
Soldato
Sad today, i loved his no noncence attitude, he had a way with drivers such as Lewis also.
Plus he was a legend driver and went through the worst. Real sad day if you follow f1
Plus he was a legend driver and went through the worst. Real sad day if you follow f1
Soldato
Very sad news. RIP Niki.
He was never afraid to share his opinion and call people out. He could have easily walked away from F1 after the accident, but showed amazing strength and courage to comeback.
A true original and one of a kind.
He was never afraid to share his opinion and call people out. He could have easily walked away from F1 after the accident, but showed amazing strength and courage to comeback.
A true original and one of a kind.
Soldato
Yea shame.
I liked that movie Rush.
I liked that movie Rush.
Soldato
RIP, legend.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 33,188
A lot of F1 deaths haven't meant all that much to me but Lauda. I have insane respect for who he is, so many utterly absurd stories around him that almost every one seems legendary. The way he got into F1 and turning up to tell the team they are idiots, telling Ferrari what they need to hear, the story about the interview he did with some woman. She wanted to do it literally on the spot of his crash in 76 and she figured he'd tear up and be a wreck about it, instead Lauda buys a pastry that kinda looks like an ear, takes it out there and chucks it on the ground and during the interview he says picks it up and says oh look, that's where my ear went. He's a straight up crazy *******.
How he handled the plane crash and putting Boeing to the sword, not allowing them to crap on his staff by blaming his pilots and forcing them to fess up and change parts on planes which almost certainly saved a lot of lives.
Getting back in the car after his accident was heroic but I think it was equally brave to after all he risked coming back, that he still had the strength of character to realise that last race was too dangerous and not worth the risk regardless of the title. Made the right call, stayed in F1, won another title and then has done so many amazing things since then.
How he handled the plane crash and putting Boeing to the sword, not allowing them to crap on his staff by blaming his pilots and forcing them to fess up and change parts on planes which almost certainly saved a lot of lives.
Getting back in the car after his accident was heroic but I think it was equally brave to after all he risked coming back, that he still had the strength of character to realise that last race was too dangerous and not worth the risk regardless of the title. Made the right call, stayed in F1, won another title and then has done so many amazing things since then.
I was lucky enough to have a passenger ride with Emerson Fittipaldi around Brands Hatch at a manufacturers test day, about 30 years ago.
He drove round tyres squealing, not talking, concentrating heavily, bumping edges of kerbs, engine revving freely, it was one hell of a lap.
About an hour later I got a ride with Niki Lauda in the same car. He chatted throughout, a nice calm quiet drive round, really showing interest in chatting about his racing career, the crash, and all sorts, it was a great time and he was very happy to chat and drive.
At the end of the day we got lap times from all our drives, and to my complete surprise, the time from when Niki was driving, was almost 1 second faster than when Emerson drove.
Truly showed what a league above everyone else he was as a driver.
RIP Niki a true legend, the world will be a far poorer place without you.
He drove round tyres squealing, not talking, concentrating heavily, bumping edges of kerbs, engine revving freely, it was one hell of a lap.
About an hour later I got a ride with Niki Lauda in the same car. He chatted throughout, a nice calm quiet drive round, really showing interest in chatting about his racing career, the crash, and all sorts, it was a great time and he was very happy to chat and drive.
At the end of the day we got lap times from all our drives, and to my complete surprise, the time from when Niki was driving, was almost 1 second faster than when Emerson drove.
Truly showed what a league above everyone else he was as a driver.
RIP Niki a true legend, the world will be a far poorer place without you.
Niki Lauda will be buried on Wednesday, present will be Bernie Ecclestone, Gerhard Berger, Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff.
He will be buried in his Ferrari race suit from 1974-77.
https://translate.google.com/transl...lauda-sara-vestito-con-la-tuta-della-ferrari/
Can anyone else picture him when arranging things being asked if he wanted to be buried or cremated, and him laughing his arse off and saying something like "They've already tried cremation"
He will be buried in his Ferrari race suit from 1974-77.
https://translate.google.com/transl...lauda-sara-vestito-con-la-tuta-della-ferrari/
Can anyone else picture him when arranging things being asked if he wanted to be buried or cremated, and him laughing his arse off and saying something like "They've already tried cremation"