John Watson: Lauda became F1 template

If you feel modern Formula 1 takes itself too seriously nowadays, then blame Niki Lauda. John Watson, above, points to the three-time champion’s ruthless approach as marking the turning point where an F1 driver’s job began to shift from “just turning up at the weekend and racing” to the all-consuming demands of today.

“A grand prix driver’s career, even in the ’70s, was beginning to evolve into a much more engaging profession, in people like Niki and Mario [Andretti],” says Watson in the latest Motor Sport podcast now available on our website and YouTube channel.

“The Lauda example was a template for drivers that followed on when Niki retired in ’85,” Watson adds. “You saw when Alain Prost came in, and Senna: unbelievably focused, driven and ruthless in what he wanted to achieve. Then Michael Schumacher followed.”

As Lauda’s team-mate at Brabham and McLaren, Watson saw first-hand the Austrian’s efforts to mould the team around himself. “Had I been a little bit more Lauda-esque, and had that sort of degree of arrogance, self-belief, confidence, whatever, could I have achieved more? I don’t know.”

What is the greatest race car of all time? It is a question we are hoping to answer later this year as part of our Race Car of the Century series. The latest instalment covering the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s appears in this issue and we are pleased to welcome classic car insurer Footman James as partners for those decades. Keep an eye on our website and social media for details on how to get involved when voting opens.

Listen throughout 2024 to the Centenary Stories podcasts on our website and YouTube channel