Left became right
07/07/2019
The former Österreichring and today's Red Bull Ring has been one corner richer since Sunday. No, it didn't get a corner, of course, but one name has changed. The first tight right-hand bend is no longer called "Castrol Edge" but now "Niki Lauda-Kurve". This means that both of the country's F1 world champions, Jochen Rindt (world champion in 1970), who gave the turn 9 its name, and Niki Lauda (world champion in 1975, 77 and 84) are now immortalized on the Grand Prix circuit.
"It means a lot to us, and of course also to the family, because it would have meant so much to Niki," said Birgit Lauda, adding: "There was a story about a bend that he had once before and then it was basically taken away from him. He was quite disappointed and sad at the time."
When the circuit was still called the A1-Ring, a left-hand bend was already named after Lauda. However, when Red Bull took over, most of the corners were given sponsor names. "In the course of the redesign of the Ring, it somehow got lost and that bothered Niki," said Marko: "I told him: you're getting a bend again. I think now is the right time to document the legend, the personality and, above all, the services Niki Lauda rendered to motorsport in a worthy manner."
The picture, now a historical document, shows Niki Lauda on June 21, 2014 at the "Legend Parade" on the occasion of the Austrian GP during his last drive in the Ferrari 312T2 from 1976 while driving through "his" corner. Servus Niki!
