Lauda apologizes after calling the Ferrari “sh*t”

In an interview with the Spanish daily newspaper El Pais, Niki Lauda, the non-executive director of Mercedes, did not mince his words when describing the McLaren and Ferrari cars. He revisited his statements, even offering an apology to Ferrari.

The Austrian had stated, when asked what the difference was between Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari: « McLaren has the same engine as us and the car is crap. Where are they? Nowhere. Same with Ferrari, another crappy car. Next year will be different because they can change half the engine. »

Further on, returning to the issue of regulatory changes demanded by some leaders, the three-time F1 world champion added: « The rules are written clearly. You cannot penalize Brixworth because others have been stupid. »

Finally, when asked by the Iberian newspaper about Fernando Alonso, Lauda attempted to compare him to a past glory of the premier discipline: I’m sure he is very frustrated, but the money he earns should help him. He just can’t go to McLaren because he has a contract he can’t break, unless he is fired. Sometimes you choose a car and you are wrong. Do you remember Ronnie Peterson? He was the best but always in the wrong place.

Following the publication of these remarks, *Autosprint* questioned Marco Mattiacci, the director of Scuderia, who declined to comment: « I have no intention of commenting on a phrase taken out of the context of an interview. For me, Niki Lauda is an icon of motorsport, one of the smartest drivers of all time, and my respect for him is immense. »

Lauda’s Apologies

Aware that his shocking statements did not go unnoticed, Niki Lauda took advantage of an interview with the famous Italian daily, the Gazzetta dello Sport, to address them: « I apologize to Ferrari, Luca Cordera di Montezemolo, and the Italian fans. I shouldn’t have used that word. I was wrong and I didn’t apologize. I called the president [of Ferrari] to explain my dismay. I didn’t see the interview in the Spanish newspaper, but I was too harsh with my words – forgive me. »

Lauda continued, for Bild: « I explained myself to [Montezemolo] and he understood. We have known each other for a long time. I was asked a question about the difference between Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari. I explained that Mercedes is simply the best combination between a good car and the best engine, that McLaren also has the best engine but the car is not as good. And Ferrari has weaknesses on both sides. »

He even shows concern about the current shape of the F14-T: « I am even worried about the Ferraris for Budapest, because they have closed in on us during the last races. Red Bull too, which has a perfect car with only engine problems. But, at the moment, Ferrari can also catch up with us, because they are more dangerous than we thought before. » Fernando Alonso, at the German Grand Prix, finished 52 seconds behind Nico Rosberg.