Niki Lauda to join Mercedes in management role

After Lewis Hamilton agreed to switch from McLaren to Mercedes for the 2013 season, the German marque have appointed former triple-World Champion Niki Lauda in a management role as the team strive to offer Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg the best opportunity for Championship greatness next season.

The 63-year-old Austrian will be one of many revamps within the team, as they aim to challenge for race victories on a more regular basis next season. Lauda is currently a pundit on RTL’s Formula 1 coverage, but will next season become a non-executive chairman on the team’s board of directors. Lauda previously held a similar role within Ferrari, a team which powered the Austrian driver to his first of three World Championships in 1975.

“In parallel, Mercedes-Benz has put in place the right technical structure and given the team in Brackley and Brixworth the tools it needs to achieve long-term, durable success in Formula One.” Read a statement issued by Mercedes, stating their plans for their future within the sport. “In the near future, three-time World Champion Niki Lauda will also bring his extensive experience to the role of non-executive chairman of the team’s board of directors, further reinforcing the strength in depth at Mercedes AMG Petronas.”

Niki Lauda recently offered his services in assisting negotiations between Bernie Ecclestone and Mercedes with regards to the Concorde Agreement, which the German marque has recently signed after much deliberation. Rumors regarding Mercedes and Niki Lauda working together emerged throughout the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, and have finally been answered with the Austrian’s formal role within the team in the near future.

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