F1 has confirmed its plans to pay a sound tribute to Niki Lauda ahead of the start of Monaco GP race and has urged fans to join in.
F1 has decided to hold a minute’s silence for three-time champion Lauda ahead of the start of the Monaco GP race on Sunday on the starting grid at 14:53 PM CET in the presence of all the 20 drivers and other eminent dignitaries.
The drivers, team officials and whoever has played any role in Lauda’s life will be present at the starting grid holding a red cap as a tribute to the Austrian champion, who died late on Monday, May 20, 2019 after a long battle post his lung transplant in 2018.
While the drivers and officials will pay their homage, the F1 and FIA has urged fans in the grandstand or on the yachts in the harbour to join in by virtue of a banner or an applaud or by wearing a red cap to honour Lauda during the in-lap at end of the grand prix.
Full F1’s statement: “Everyone in Formula 1 is still mourning the recent demise of three times world champion Niki Lauda. His life will be celebrated in a special way on Sunday 26 May at the FORMULA 1 MONACO GRAND PRIX 2019.
“A minute’s silence will be observed on the starting grid at 14.53 CET. Along with the 20 drivers and dignitaries who are usually lined up at the front of the grid for the national anthem of the host nation, those who played a special role in Lauda’s career – his contemporaries and his peers – will also be there, each one holding a red cap as a tribute to the Austrian champion.
“Formula 1, the FIA, the Automobile Club de Monaco and all ten teams want to invite all fans attending the race in the Monaco grandstands to pay their own tribute to the driver who won here in the Principality in 1975 and 1976, during the in-lap of this the 90th edition of the race.
“They can either wear a red cap, display a message on a banner, or simply applaud, while those watching from the yachts in the harbour can sound their klaxons, anything appropriate to honour the memory of one of the sport’s true heroes.”
Various teams and drivers already have done their bit with special stickers on their cars and helmets in the honour of Lauda. Mercedes also revealed that they will paint the Halo red for the rest of the weekend to pay their homage.
https://twitter.com/ScuderiaFerrari/status/1131608042213134336
Motor racing community unite to pay their tribute to Niki Lauda
