Mercedes team renames factory road 'Lauda Drive'

©Mercedes

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The Mercedes F1 team has renamed the main road that runs through its campus in Brackley in honour of three-time F1 World Champion Niki Lauda.

The pathway was previously named 'Reynard Park' after Adrian Reynard, the founder of Reynard Motorsport and the owner of the site until last year when it was acquired by the Mercedes team.

The change to 'Lauda Drive' was done following approval from the local authorities and with te consent of the Lauda family.

The F1 legend served as Mercedes non-executive chairman from 2012 until his passing in May 2019, aged 70. Lauda died following a period of hill health that followed a lung transplant in Austria in August 2018.

©Mercedes

"It’s a true honour to unveil Lauda Drive and it was great to see so many team members gather to watch the reveal," said Mercedes F1 co-owner and team principal Toto Wolff

"While our dear friend and colleague Niki wouldn’t have wanted us to make a fuss, he would also be proud to have this road named after him.

"It was a privilege for all of us to work alongside him and I was lucky enough to call him one of my best friends.

Read also: McLaren unveils bronze tribute to Niki Lauda

"He was a massive contributor to our success, a great sparring partner for me and a strong non-executive chairman, who we miss dearly.

"I wish he was still here as my friend and as a chairman, because there would have been many questions I’d have liked to ask him this year.

"His legacy lives on in so many shapes and forms, but to know so many people will pass down Lauda Drive in the years to come is very special."

After a season of struggles in 2022 that wiped out the Mercedes team's hegemonic status in Formula 1, the Brackley squad's crews were frequently left to ponder one of Lauda's most famous quotes.

"From success, you learn absolutely nothing. From failure and setbacks, conclusions can be drawn."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.