Tributes pour in for Niki Lauda

Tributes across the motorsport world are being made to triple Formula 1 world champion Niki Lauda following his passing at the age of 70.

Lauda passed away on Monday evening surrounded by his family in Austria which has seen the sporting world paying its respects to an icon of F1.

Lauda claimed his 1975 and 1977 F1 world titles with Ferrari and his third with McLaren in 1984. He rose to legendary status when he survived life-threatening burns and injuries in an accident during the 1976 German Grand Prix only to return to racing six weeks later.

Tributes pour in for Niki Lauda

Tributes across the motorsport world are being made to triple Formula 1 world champion Niki Lauda following his passing at the age of 70.

Lauda passed away on Monday evening surrounded by his family in Austria which has seen the sporting world paying its respects to an icon of F1.

Lauda claimed his 1975 and 1977 F1 world titles with Ferrari and his third with McLaren in 1984. He rose to legendary status when he survived life-threatening burns and injuries in an accident during the 1976 German Grand Prix only to return to racing six weeks later.

After retiring from racing at the end of the 1985, Lauda remained a familiar face in the F1 paddock, while he helped oversee Mercedes’ era of F1 dominance as non-executive Chairman.

The Austrian stepped away from F1 to undergo a double lung transplant last August and battled a serious case of flu at the start of 2019 but after a period of ill heath he died on Monday evening aged 70.

As both a rival and an ally, Lauda’s personality and attitude gained him admirers from the entire F1 paddock, plus the wider sporting world, with tributes flooding in since his passing was confirmed.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has led the tributes to Lauda with the team set to mourn the loss of its Chairman at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend.

“Niki will always remain one of the greatest legends of our sport - he combined heroism, humanity and honesty inside and outside the cockpit,” Wolff said. “His passing leaves a void in Formula 1.”

“The motorsports world has lost its greatest fighter. The Mercedes family has lost an amazing mentor. And I have lost a true friend. Thanks Niki.” Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of Daimler AG and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Cars. 
 
Ola Källenius, CEO elect of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, added: “We are mourning the loss of a very special person who showed terrific fighting spirit. Niki Lauda achieved enormous success and had a huge impact on motor racing. He was an exceptionally talented racing driver and a real inspiration as a businessman. His family are in our thoughts at this sad time.”

F1 Chairman and CEO Chase Carey has also given a tribute and feels the sport has lost “one of its heroes”.

“It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of Niki Lauda,” Carey said. “Formula 1 has lost not only one of the truly great exponents of the sport but also one of its heroes.

“His love of racing and the courage he demonstrated were simply extraordinary and he inspired so many fans. His passing is a great loss for the entire Formula 1 family and motorsport as a whole. All our thoughts go out to his family.”

“Niki Lauda was a hero of motor sport, who inspired me in my youth,” FIA President Jean Todt added. “He is a milestone in the history of Formula One. All my thoughts go out to his family, friends and to Mercedes.”

Below is a collected list of tributes from across the motorsport world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

You taught us: To pursue our dreams, not those of our parents or family. • To that if the mind wants it, the body can. • To live life without complexes. • That an athlete can also succeed doing something else. • To be direct and know how to say NO. For me your legacy is much bigger than all the victories and titles that you achieved on the track, outside of it you made even more of a difference. R.I.P friend. ——— Nos has enseñado: A perseguir tus sueños, no los de tus padres o familiares. • A que si la mente quiere, el cuerpo puede. • A vivir la vida sin complejos. • A que un deportista también puede tener éxito haciendo otra cosa. • A ser directos y saber decir NO. Para mi tu legado es mucho más grande que todas las victorias y títulos que has conseguido en la pista, fuera de ella marcaste aún más la diferencia. R.I.P amigo. #NikiLauda

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