Bernie Ecclestone just told us that driver retirements are 'joyous events', but we're not so sure he was all too pleased with this instance. In September 1979, during practice for the Canadian GP, Brabham's Niki Lauda stepped out of his car and simply walked away from Formula 1, never to be seen again for the next two years! Bernie was forced to draft in at the last minute Ricardo Zunino who would go on to finish 7th that weekend in Montreal. In the meantime, Mr. Lauda was flying off into the sunset...
