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Silver Arrows: Winning for Niki
May 272019
Lewis Hamilton helped make a fitting tribute to the late three-time world champion, Niki Lauda, by winning the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix in a style which was enigmatic of the Austrian's fighting spirit.
Niki, who was the non-executive chairman of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport Team, sadly passed away on Monday evening. He was 70.
His racing achievements aside, Niki was mainly recognised for one of the bravest and most astonishing comebacks in sporting history.
He suffered horrific burns after crashing in the 1976 German Grand Prix, now made famous in the Hollywood film, Rush. Such was the extent of Niki's injuries he was given his last rites, yet, incredibly, he was back racing again in just 40 days when he finished fourth in the Italian GP.
He was respected and an instrumental figure within the Silver Arrows management team.
An experienced foil for Head of Motorsport, Toto Wolff, he was also a sounding board for Lewis and the two enjoyed a special friendship.
As a mark of respect, the team wore red baseball caps like Niki did, while Lewis wore a special red crash helmet with Lauda's name on the back. The team's car, the W10 EQ Power +, was adorned with Niki's signature while the Halo cockpit canopy and one of the stars on the engine cover were also painted red.
In what was an emotional week for the team, Lewis was made to fight hard for this, his third win in Monte Carlo and the 77th of his Formula One career. His tyres were shot, he was out of grip, and on the twisty roads he was pushed all the way by Max Verstappen. Lewis's effort was herculean and he said he did it while racing in Niki's memory.
