Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni – two seemingly very different characters – inspired a generation of drivers with their courage and dedication
Late 1975 and five Ferrari icons in the same photo (above). In the background, two examples of the legendary 312 T Formula 1 racer, with technical director and designer Mauro Forghieri; in the foreground, the 308 GTB that had just been launched at the Paris Motor Show and the two Scuderia drivers, Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni.
The photo was taken at a Fiorano test day after the end of the 1975 season, when Lauda took his first world title. The 308 GTB, the progenitor of Maranello’s 8-cylinder sports cars, was there because the two race drivers had asked to try it. They were drawn to its attractive lines, but mainly by its performance. It weighed just a little over 1,000 kg – thanks to its fibreglass bodywork – and could easily exceed 250kmph, a power to weight ratio that impressed the two Formula 1 drivers. In the photo Niki and Clay are chatting, probably about technical matters.
Above: Niki Lauda (left) and Clay Regazzoni take a break during testing at Fiorano in 1975
They had a special rapport right from the start, even if on the face of it they had little in common. Niki never made a secret of the fact that, but for Clay he would never have found himself at Ferrari. “But with my results, I undoubtedly made a good impression,” Niki said at an event in 2016. Of Clay he said, “He loved life, he was very nice, a respectable person with whom I always got along. We weren’t as different as people thought.”
In 2006, not long before he died, Clay said of Niki, “We didn’t have much in common. I lived life one day at a time and I never cared too much about winning. I wanted to have fun, both in and out of the car. But Niki was programmed to win, a workaholic on the car, not enjoying life that much”. Indeed, it is hard to find photos of the Austrian out of a race suit. One rarely saw him smile and he always seemed busy, focused and determined.
Above: Lauda and Regazzoni were Scuderia teammates for the 1974, '75 and '76 F1 seasons
Clay was ever-smiling and his photos graced the pages of so many magazines at that time. He was happy to appear on TV; he once even danced with the pop culture icon and singer Raffaella Carrà. And yet, at different times and in their own ways, the two men became inspiring role models. In 1976, Niki had that infamous accident at the Nürburgring which left him with terrible burns; he was back behind the wheel just 42 days later. He was an inspiration to many who were facing similar situations. The Austrian went on to win two more world championship titles, including in 1977 with Ferrari.
Above: Regazzoni and Lauda pose with the legendary Ferrari 312 T Formula 1 race car
Clay’s time with the Scuderia ended that same year, but he continued to race in F1 with other teams. In 1980, he was racing at Long Beach for Ensign and his brakes failed; he was unable to avoid running into the back of a car that had stopped on track. He suffered serious injuries to his legs and spine and a botched operation left him paraplegic for the rest of his life. Although confined to a wheelchair, Clay couldn’t give up motorsport. He competed in rallies, including the fearsome Dakar, in cars with specially adapted hand controls, also adopted in road cars for use by paraplegics. It would seem Niki was right: he and Clay were not so different after all.
THIS STORY WAS TAKEN FROM ISSUE 62 OF THE OFFICIAL FERRARI MAGAZINE