Good Bye Niki

Today is a sad day. Niki Lauda, the Austrian Formula 1 legend, has died at 70 years of age. I was, personally, a big fan of Niki Lauda, because, believe it or not, as a child, I liked the sound of his name, it sounded so good to my ear. When I grew up more, I got to understand of course about his legendary driving talent too.

Niki belongs to the big list of drivers who did not know if they were going to still be alive after a race. In his time, the cars, the rules and the circuits were very different, and Lauda experienced this really hard when on the first of August 1976, in Nürburgring, he was involved in an accident where his Ferrari swerved off the track, hit an embankment and burst into flames.

But the story starts right after this. Even if he burned half of his face, he managed to return only two races later, appearing at the Monza press conference six weeks after the accident with his fresh burns still bandaged!

I am suggesting that you watch the movie ”Rush”. You will understand many things about him and about Formula one. In a few days we shall have the Monaco circuit. Lauda had won in Monaco (in the 1976 race) and I am sure that the organizers will honor his memory.

Good Bye Niki!