The death of racing legend Niki Lauda this week chocked us all, it’s a very sad moment. Coming into the Monaco Grand Prix week-end, we all expected teams and drivers to pay tribute to the driver, the person, admired and respected by all.
On Friday I thought: (let’s dream) If I was an active F1 driver, what tribute would I pay to the legend ?
Well no doubt, I would have chosen a Niki Lauda helmet design, inspired say by Monaco 1975, one of his great victories, on his way to his first world title.
While I certainly don’t doubt Lewis Hamilton being as sad and shocked, maybe even more as anyone else, witness his absence at the drivers’ press conference on Thursday, I can’t help it but being disappointed he did not do so.
AMG-Mercedes disappointed me as well. A simple ‘Danke Niki’ is classy and discreet I agree, but an orange stripe on the whole length of the car, that is what Lauda deserved.
Sebastian Vettel did the right thing. He’s a Ferrari driver, a man who knows the history of his sport, and he swiftly took the right decision, painted his helmet in orange, and did what I had in mind.
That’s the right tribute to one of the all times greats.
For Saturday’s qualifying, Lewis appeared with a splendid orange and white helmet, featuring Niki Lauda’s 1984 colours and AMG-Mercedes had painted the halo in red as a very nice tribute to the great champion. I should have been more patient.
Sorry I am not even a Hamilton fan at all but you don’t have right to slate him for being emotional and upset, Lewis and Niki have been friends also he has been a big contribution to his championship success, that’s why it hurts Lewis more than others, nobody has right to tell people to stop being emotional give the guy a break all people do is have chance to slate him for any opportunity I know it’s your opinion but yes I agree your point on Vettel but your point on Hamilton is completely wrong, I also notice last year in Hungary that when the Ferrari boss died Kimi and Vettel were to be scheduled in the press conference, but neither of didn’t go either did you have issue with that too??
Hello Jaime, thank you for your reaction, read well, I wrote I don’t doubt him being sad and shocked even more than anyone else, I just regretted he was slower than Vettel in the idea of painting his helmet orange.
And, as you see, Mercedes felt the same, they just added orange on the halo, feeling they didn’t do enough.
Anyhow, thank you for following us.