Wolff: 'We lost the soul of F1' with Lauda's death

The disappearance of Niki Lauda last Monday mourned everyone in motorsportMore Toto wolff was one of the most marked in the Monaco GP paddock. The stable manager Mercedes was close to his compatriot with whom he managed the Flèche d’Argent structure.

“My emotions are very high as a friend, commented Toto Wolff at a press conference just before the first practice session for the Monaco GP. The last 48 hours have been terrible, I feel like a zombie. I keep looking at photos and tears come to my eyes every half hour because he is no longer here. He is someone the team and the team miss terribly. F1. I believe we have lost the soul and the heart of F1. »

Niki Lauda's health deteriorated sharply last summer when he had to undergo a lung transplant which was complicated when he fell ill shortly afterwards.

“We knew things weren’t going well. It was certainly a matter of days. I received a message from his wife (Birgit Wetzinger) Monday evening while I was in Paris, added the Mercedes F1 boss. It seems surreal to be in an F1 paddock knowing that he is no longer there. Even if we could prepare for this to happen, it's still hard when we face it. »