Niki Lauda. The man defined Formula one in the 70s and early 80s. The man defied all odds after his fiery Nurburgring crash to come back and win championships again. And after all that, the man, alongside Toto Wolff, redefined what the word ‘dominance’ meant when he led Mercedes and their charge to unprecedented history in F1’s turbo-hybrid era.

It isn’t every day that you get the opportunity to pay homage to such a legend of the sport. Hence, when Mercedes got the opportunity, they paid tribute to Niki Lauda in the best way possible. As of yesterday, the road that leads into the Brackley factory of the team is now called ‘Lauda Drive’.

The Austrian driver was a stalwart of the sport. Fast as anybody, and with a philosophical approach to his racing, he cemented himself as one of the greatest champions in the annals of Formula 1 history. It was only proper that he was felicitated by a team where Lauda played his final masterstroke as an F1 genius.

Fans react as Mercedes pays touching tribute to the late Niki Lauda

Mercedes took to Twitter to share the news that the road into their factory had been renamed as ‘Lauda Driver’. They wrote, “The road at the heart of our home in Brackley has been renamed ‘Lauda Drive’, continuing Niki’s legacy for many years to come.” 

Let’s take a look at just a few of the fan reactions to this touching tribute to a true legend of the sport.

Toto Wolff himself said a few words about his friend at the ceremony. He said, “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.”

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Lauda meant a lot of things to F1 fans. His determination, his skill, and talent and everything he did in his life have made him an inspiration for fans around the globe. But what is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about Niki Lauda?