2
Valtteri Bottas says Niki Lauda helped him progress through difficult times during his career, as he was inspired to not keep his head down in tough moments.
Today marks one year since the three-time Formula 1 world champion passed away, which has seen senior Mercedes staff post a message in memory of the Austrian.
In 2012, Lauda was appointed as the non-executive chairman of the Silver Arrows and ran the team alongside Toto Wolff through its domination of the turbo-hybrid era.
Mercedes is yet to experience championship defeat in the V6 period of the sport. Bottas, who joined the German manufacturer as a driver in 2017, spoke about what Lauda meant to him.
“From Niki I learned to always trust your talent, never doubt it, to really always remind yourself that you should not doubt your driving style, the way you do your things in the car,” he said.
“I also learned from him not to let your head get to down from disappointments and how to recover from them quicker and to look forward to more positive times.
“Niki inspired me just by giving his support always when I needed it. He is a racing driver himself, he knows exactly when the driver needs the support and that extra was a big boost, the right words, he knows exactly when you need the support.
“He was the person that inspired me in the difficult times, he was always there with his support, for me to bounce back and to remind myself why I am doing this and that I am good enough to do it. He was very good at that.”
Lauda is arguably most famous for his crash at the 1976 German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring and the subsequent recovery he made following serious burns to his body.
Bottas says that Lauda's comeback is his favourite story about the 25-time grand prix winner, expressing amazement at his ability to do sit back in the cockpit of an F1 car.
“My favourite memory from Niki's racing career is definitely his comeback after his difficult accident where he suffered massive burns and he was really on the edge of life,” Bottas said. “How quickly he could recover and bounce back and go racing again.
“Hearing the stories that determination he had to be back in the car and racing again was so strong that he was racing so quickly after bad injuries and I am sure he was not pain-free completely. He was in massive pain but he loved racing that is why he did come back so quick.”
Lauda was a total one-off - the sport continues to miss his presence today.
Niki has been a total inspiration for everything in life.
A brilliant moment of mankind at all levels.
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
M. Verstappen
C. Sainz jr
C. Leclerc
Bahrain
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
Australia
Albert Park
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
Monaco
Monte Carlo
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Austria
Red Bull Ring
United Kingdom
Silverstone
Hungary
Hungaroring
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Italy
Monza
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Brazil
Interlagos
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
134,231 comments on Sauber
2 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Valtteri Bottas
612,598 comments on Mercedes 57 members have this team as their favourite Tweets about Mercedes
Pistonhead
Posts: 556
Lauda was a total one-off - the sport continues to miss his presence today.