Károly Méhes visits Vienna to find the locations made well-known by Niki Lauda, 3-time Components 1 World Champion and one of many Austrian capital’s most well-known sons.
A pal of mine, who knew about my ardour for Components 1 and particularly for Niki Lauda, used to inform me how he would meet the Austrian champion most mornings at a specific set of site visitors lights. “He would at all times be in his inexperienced Jaguar, carrying his trademark purple cap. We noticed one another so typically that we started acknowledging one another with a fast nod.” I keep in mind being fairly envious of my pal and his passing relationship with a legend.
Lauda was born in Vienna and although later he had properties in Hof (close to Salzburg) and on the Spanish island of Ibiza, he remained a Viennese. One 12 months after the dying of the 3-time champion and inspirational entrepreneur, I visited town of his delivery to search for Niki Lauda’s Vienna.
My first assembly was with 74-year-old Günther Effenberger, an F1 journalist who has revealed a number of books dedicated to Niki Lauda – together with the primary Lauda ebook that I obtained my fingers on as a younger boy, introduced residence to communist Hungary from West Germany by my father in 1978.
Effenberger was simply 22 years of age when he joined the best-selling Vienna every day newspaper Kurier to put in writing about Components 1 in 1968. Jochen Rindt was already a famous person in Austria, although his profession was tragically minimize quick simply two years later, the identical 12 months that he was posthumously awarded the drivers’ title. Austria didn’t have to attend lengthy for its subsequent F1 famous person nonetheless, as Niki Lauda joined the grid in 1971.
“He truly come to Kurier, asking me to put in writing about him,” recollects Effenberger, who readily agreed however defined that he solely travelled to the closest races and couldn’t cowl him in the identical approach as full-time F1 journalists. “Lauda agreed to name me throughout race weekends after each observe session and naturally, to present his report on every race. We had an excellent working relationship throughout his first few seasons.”
“In 1976, two weeks after Niki’s fiery accident on the Nürburgring, my colleague Helmut Zwickl travelled to Zeltweg for the Austrian Grand Prix. I stayed within the workplace however determined to present Niki a name at his residence in Hof to get some quotes concerning the race. It was the way in which we labored again then. I keep in mind asking Niki how he was felling ‘Shit. I appear to be Quasimodo’ was the response. My writing moved away from Components 1 within the following years, however after we would meet he was at all times sort to me.”
Subsequent cease was the well-known Lodge Imperial on the Kärtner Ring, the place Lauda’s reminiscence is ever current. I met with Nio Iljic, the maître d on responsibility that day who had the concept of serving a Niki Lauda breakfast. How did the concept come about, I requested? “When Niki was residing in Vienna, he used to come back right here each day for breakfast. He used to reach at 5 minutes to 7am and make a number of fast cellphone calls. If the door was not opened by precisely 7am, he would start to faucet on his watch! He would at all times sit on the identical place within the nook and nearly at all times eat the identical breakfast. An gentle boiled egg in a glass, bread and butter, a Wiener Melange [Viennese coffee, similar to a cappuccino] and yoghurt with apple and raspberry. Often he would have bacon and eggs.”
“Lauda was additionally typically right here with enterprise companions and VIPs as nicely, and on weekends generally he got here along with his household. I do know them fairly nicely, too, nonetheless after his dying they’ve solely visited for breakfast a handful of occasions.”
Did you chat to Niki when he was right here? “When it wasn’t too busy, he would chat with us about Components 1 and aeroplanes, all the standard issues. He was a well mannered and pleasant individual. He greeted all people when he arrived. I can not keep in mind when he was sullen or unfriendly. He was Niki! All the time prepared for a photograph or to present an autograph, even on a serviette. We miss him so much, no query. We put a small memorial plate within the place the place he normally sat. The Lauda breakfast could be very well-liked. Many individuals go to for breakfast to honour his reminiscence.”
Final however not least, the Heiligenstadt cemetery on the sting of Vienna. Surrounded by vineyards, a quiet and calm place. A couple of minutes’ stroll previous the doorway you will see that the grave of Niki. Numerous flowers however no inscription on the gray marble stone. Standing there within the silence of the summer season is touching but in addition a bit unusual. In my head, highly effective Ferraris, Brabhams and McLarens are roaring, and I hear his barely hoarse however distinct voice. Legends by no means die.
