Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team Renames Road 'Lauda Drive'

The road at the heart of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team technology campus has been renamed in honour of three-time world champion Niki Lauda.

Previously titled ‘Reynard Park’ after Adrian Reynard – the owner of the site until it was purchased by the team last year – the road’s name, which runs through the Brackley site, was changed following approval from the local authorities and Niki’s family.

Niki was an integral part of our team, as our Non-Executive Chairman, and his passing in May 2019 left a huge void. For many, he wasn’t just an F1 icon and world champion, but also a beloved colleague and friend at the heart of our sport.

Our Brackley factory’s road will now be named ‘Lauda Drive’ after Niki, continuing his legacy for many years to come. The new sign was unveiled by Toto Wolff, our CEO & Team Principal, on Tuesday afternoon in front of a crowd of team members.

“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 Toto. “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. 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 where the team was stretched to its limits and had to overcome many challenges on track and off, one of Niki’s most famous quotes rings true: “From success, you learn absolutely nothing. From failure and setbacks, conclusions can be drawn.”

2022 was a season rich in conclusions – and it couldn’t be more appropriate that after the team’s most challenging year of the past decade, we will be burning the midnight oil at the end of Lauda Drive, as we chart our course back to the front of the grid in 2023…