Lewis Hamilton: Miss Having Conversations with Niki, Wouldn’t Have Made it to Mercedes F1 Without Him
Follow Us
Earlier in 2019, the Formula One world lost the legendary Niki Lauda at the age of 70. The Mercedes team was heavily affected by his tragic passing, as was Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. According to the 6-time world champion, Lauda’s absence is still felt within the Mercedes team and himself.
“I miss getting the texts. I miss sharing those videos, and I still have a lot of our conversations and every now and then I revisit it,” Hamilton told the media about how he reminisces the Austrian.
“But again, without his support, I probably wouldn’t have made the switch to come to this team. Without his support, I wouldn’t still be with this team. I don’t think this team would have had success without his support.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
According to the British driver, Lauda acted as a bridge between Toto Wolff and the Mercedes board, who had very little idea about racing.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
How Did Lewis Hamilton React in the Final Days of Niki Lauda
For a long time, Lauda suffered from respiratory conditions and even had a lung transplant, which seemed to suggest that he would make a full recovery. Unfortunately, everything unraveled courtesy a bad case of influenza last Christmas, and it forced another hospital visit.
Tragically, Lauda would succumb to his illness in May 2019 ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend and it was an emotional blow for the team.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Trending
Daniel Ricciardo To Be Replaced by Liam Lawson After Miami, F1 Pundit Dishes Out Harsh Verdict After Australian’s “Amateur Mistake”
April 17, 2024 11:14 AM EDT
Max Verstappen “On Ice” as Return to China Goes Badly for Christian Horner and Co
April 19, 2024 10:58 AM EDT
Adrian Newey Hits Out at Climate Activist Lewis Hamilton’s Fuel Protest, Desperate to See V10 Engines Again
April 15, 2024 12:35 PM EDT
Taylor Swift’s Tortured Poets Department Sends F1 Fans Into a Frenzy: “Its a Fernando Reference”
April 19, 2024 09:43 AM EDT
Who are Zhou Guanyu’s Parents? Everything We Know About The Chinese Driver’s Family
April 16, 2024 02:07 PM EDT
Get instantly notified of the hottest F1 stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.
Follow Us
As it turns out, Lewis Hamilton was one of the last people to see Lauda before his passing and the British driver could not stop getting teary-eyed in their final meeting.
Hamilton confessed that the two of them often shared videos, and he saw Niki through his biggest dip. Sadly, things took a turn for the worse after the 3-time world champion suffered a fall, which prompted Hamilton to drop everything and see him.
Months later, Lewis Hamilton seized his sixth world championship and one can be sure that Niki Lauda was looking down from heaven and smiling proudly.