Toto Wolff Pays Heartfelt Tribute To Niki Lauda As Sport Celebrates His Birthday

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Niki Lauda on what would have been Lauda's 76th birthday.

Posting his tribute on Mercedes' official website, Wolff took a moment to reflect upon the strong personal and professional bond he shared with the three-time Formula 1 World Champion.

Lauda's storied career in Formula 1 began with his debut in 1971 driving for March Ford at the Österreichring. By 1972, he had secured a permanent seat with March Ford, paving the way for a groundbreaking journey in motorsport. His move to Ferrari in 1974 marked a significant turning point, especially when Lauda secured his first victory at the Spanish Grand Prix.

It wasn't long before he claimed his first world title with Ferrari in 1975. In 1976, Lauda survived a horrific crash at the Nürburgring, emerging from flames with life-threatening injuries. Remarkably, he returned to racing only six weeks later.

After a brief hiatus, Lauda returned and clinched his second world championship with Ferrari in 1977. He briefly stepped away from Formula 1 before coming back in 1982, this time with McLaren Marlboro. In 1984, he narrowly defeated teammate Alain Prost to win his third world title.

His legacy extends beyond these victories, as he became a non-executive chairman at Mercedes in 2012, a role he held until his passing in 2019. He also played a key role in persuading Lewis Hamilton to join the team after Michael Schumacher retired.

Wolff commented:

“Niki would never complain. He just got on with things. He was just a great guy. He had tremendous resilience and determination and that kept him going. I was lucky to call him one of my best friends.

“We travelled together, we spent endless hours in the airplane, and he was super helpful to our success. He was a sparring partner, such a strong chairman and we dearly miss him.

“My favourite memory came one year when we were coming back from Suzuka, just him and I.

“He said he wanted to tell me something. He stopped for a moment, and I thought wow, Niki is getting emotional.

“He said he had no friends - he always said that. But he said if there was such a thing as a half friend, then I was it.

“He was almost teary, but it was the best comment I received from Niki in all our years working together. It meant that we were friends.”

Mercedes has continued to honor Lauda's legacy through various tributes, including a permanent red star on their cars and the display of Lauda's iconic red cap in their garage. These gestures, alongside the renaming of a road at Mercedes' Brackley headquarters to "Lauda Drive," reflect the lasting impact he left on the team and the sport.