28 replies to this topic

[Ross Stonefeld]

Whats with the silly Parmalat hat? Is he so unsightly that he has to wear that hat all the time? Couldnt he get it fixed? Do Parmalat pay him? Surely he could be wearing a Jaguar hat or something. The craziest thing is I saw a photo of him at a London party and he was in a tux with his hat

give me a break

[Manson]

I'm pretty sure Parmalat is anteing (is that a word?) up a significant sum for Mr. L to wear their hat. This goes way back to his Brabham days.

[Billy]

He has a very lucrative sponsorship deal to always be wearing the Parmalat hat.

"After the accident I am looking worse than some people are born, but at least I can say it was an accident" ~ Niki Lauda.

He had plastic surgery on an eyelid, but "as for the other damage -- ear, forehead and head -- that can stay. I'm not going to have cosmetic surgery; as long as they function unimpaired, I don't feel the need." ~ Niki Lauda.

[jk]

I'm sure Lauda get payed for the cap. I've read his book, and he says that his burns has earned him some money for the Parmalat hat, sponsership which has continued after his driver retirement. He also states that he only will get something fixed if it hurts functionality. He won't do it, just because it will look better.
That's what the danish translation says.

[Get Sirius]

Originally posted by Ross Stonefeld
The craziest thing is I saw a photo of him at a London party and he was in a tux with his hat

That's odd (the tux I mean). He's usually in the post race studio of German RTL and from what I have seen he's always wearing the same jeans, jacket and cap.

[se7en_24]

I remember seeing him at the scene of that Lauda Air 767 plane crash just after it had happened, I beleive he flew straight out there...

I'm sure he had it on then too, I remember thinking it was a bit disrespectful, did anyone else see that?

[Duck]

Yes, I saw a photo of Lauda walking through the wreckage of his 767-300 ER after it went down in Thailand. And yes, he was wearing that cap - as a matter of fact, I don't think that blasted thing ever leaves his head. I've seen photos of him (rare photos, circa '77/78) WITHOUT the cap, and the burns left rather ghastly scar tissue well up into the scalp.
Lauda and his Parmalat scalp-piece are bonded forever. Although many people feel it looks rather foolish (especially when he's in a suit and tie, or tux), who am I to say whether he should take it off or not. Hell, I've left job positions because my herringbone sport coat and levi's weren't considered "acceptable" regarding corporate protocol - oh well... People just have to do what they feel they have to do.

[Zoe]

Lauda as a matter of fact is pretty much burnt and disfigured on his head. He rarely takes off his cap and the sight then is not very nice. I guess it hurts him as well, even if he is joking about himself a lot.

What's your problem with Lauda wearing his cap? Personal taste? I for one find baggy gangsta pants more ridiculous than Laudas cap.

I wonder what you'd say if it was you who was disfigured like that!

Zoe

[pa]

The fact that he is seriously disfigured and scarred may well be the reason he wears the cap - so as not to freak out others. As such, it is a considerate gesture.

[Smooth]

Originally posted by pa
The fact that he is seriously disfigured and scarred may well be the reason he wears the cap - so as not to freak out others. As such, it is a considerate gesture.

Exactly. Why open yourself up to stares, and make others uncomfortable?


And besides: Half of what comes out of his mouth is enough to make most people turn away!;)

[Jaybee]

Ross - if you had seen the accident which caused Nikki Lauda's burns and the state he was in at the time and then later when he went back into F1 racing you would have to admire the man. Instead you make stupid, insensitive comments.

[Wolf]

I think that you're all blowing this out of proportion... Just few races ago he had a bet with RTL host and lost it... So he did the rest of the show without the cap.

I must admit that I didn't find anything in his appearance disturbing- there was som discolouring of the scarr tissue (pinkish, whereas the rest of his skin is 'yellowish'). I think that scars gave him exscuse zo wear sponsors hat and hence earn serious amounts of money.. If that scars don't bother him (as I presume) where would be logic of 'pay to get fixed', when one can be paid to wear a hat...

[Scudetto]

After tomorrow, I think the proper questions is "How badly did Lauda and Rahal get burned?"

[Schummy]

I have heard Prost's nose is fake, a rubber thing. He wears it because his real nose is super-snub and he is afraid to scare people with it.

[Scudetto]

Originally posted by Schummy
I have heard Prost's nose is fake, a rubber thing. He wears it because his real nose is super-snub and he is afraid to scare people with it.

Maybe Alain should consider trying to poach Newey from McLaren to do some aero work on that schnoz. The thing already looks like a barge board and is comparable in size.

[Ross Stonefeld]

If you read my post part of the question was why Parmalat. Why cant he wear a Jag hat during team press conferences

he could wear one of those tiny little ski skull-cap type things at formal functions

[Mila]

the impression I had was that Lauda opted not to have cosmetic surgery so that he could continue to affect people with the burn scars.

Rosberg once said that, "Niki's money is in his face."

one cynical guy commenting on another?

[maxpapis]

Originally posted by Jaybee

Ross - if you had seen the accident which caused Nikki Lauda's burns and the state he was in at the time and then later when he went back into F1 racing you would have to admire the man. Instead you make stupid, insensitive comments.

I think you took Ross' question the wrong way. As he stated he was merely asking why Parmalat. He was not making light of the situation.

Ross, if I remember correctly he covers the hat issue in one of his books. I don't have the book nearby but, it was something like someone at Parmalat was a very good friend to him and he will only wear a Parmalat hat because of his friend. Honestly, it's been years since I read his books so I might be wrong but I think that is the basic idea.

[skylark68]

Lauda is one of the greats and survived a horrific accident. He can wear whatever he wants, whenever he wants. And let me tell you, it must be extremely painful, even to this day. That he is doing so much is as much a comment about the man as it is about his determination. As for disabilities, it goes with the turf.

And, lest people think I am insensitive or not open to offers, I would wear that hat for the rest of my life if I got 1/10,000 the dough he does. Just sent the contract, care of.......

[Jackman]

I remember reading some time ago that he was paid $1m to wear the Parmalat cap from thereon in. It may be $1m a year - it was a long time ago that I read the story. Whatever, it's money well spent - it's become his trademark, and everyone is aware that it's Parmalat on the cap.

[Elspeth]

I think it is really rude to be on Lauda's case because he wears a hat. I can't believe you haven't seen the photos of him without it. If he is more comfortable with the cap, why shouldn't he wear it. He almost died in that horrible crash/fire, and the fact that he goes about his normal business although he is disfigured shows his courage.

[slick1jayj]

1 million or 1 million per year. Hell, with that kind of money I would trade in my Ferrari hat, that I always wear for free. Nikki, if you need someone in the states, to wear it part-time or full time just private messege me. If we do come to an agreement verbal, signed, or handshake I will hold up my end of the bargain.

jay

[prettyface]

I've seen a picture of the 1994 drivers the race after Senna died paying their respects on he track, Lauda is there too without the hat. Looks like a normal bald head to me, but it's not a clear image.

I've seen it in this forum but can't find the thread.

[Billy]

From his autobiography

I have always claimed that Nurburgring had no lasting effect on my state of mind, my attitude, my performance. This is true, although I'm uncertain as to what extent having gone through that inferno affects me subconsciously.

Basically my talent for overriding my emotions by staying detached and objective has served me well. There is really no point in having a complex about losing half an ear. Take a good look at yourself in the mirror: that's you, that's the way you are. And if people don't like you that way you might as well forget them. I even capitalized on my semi-baldness by signing with Parmalat to wear a cap with their name on it; even now I'm retired, that cap still has the same promotional value.

[Ross Stonefeld]

So basically he's a corporate whore with an excuse?

[mtl'78]

Lauda is one of the bravest and proudest men I've ever read about.

[ebe]

Lauda is badly burned on his upper head and has only few hairs since his terrible accident back in 1976.

The Parmalat hat is something Lauda has become famous for.
shortly after his accident, when Lauda had a sponsorship contract with parmalat, they had the idea he could wear this hat as promotion for Parmalat and he could cover his scares with it in publicity.
He earned money with this hat and became used to the hat.
The red hat turned out to be a sign of Lauda, in publicity he always weared it, not only on F1 related occasions.

Years and years ago the contract with Parmalat ended, but for
gratitude and for it is his sign Lauda keeps on wearing this red hat.

The Jag people respect this, so he will not wear a green Jaguar hat.

[Duck]

Don't anyone kid themselves naively... ALL of us would be "corporate whores" under the right circumstances - either with, or without excuses - FACT OF LIFE !

[RedFever]

Niki has always worns the Parmalat cap since 1978, when he left Ferrari to joing Brabham, which was sponsored by Parmalat. The Italian company signed huge sponsorships with Niki and paid him handsomly. However, there is no current contract with Lauda today, but he stills wears the cap, as over the years he had developed a very close relationship with Tanzi, the owner of Parmalat.

Regarding the need for a cap, it is obvious. Niki's accident left pretty huge burns on his face and head, where large parts of his hair is gone. Keep in mind, for those who are clearly unaware of the seriousness of Niki's crash, that Lauda spent close to 40 seconds in the flames, with no protection on his face (his visor went up in the crash, he was momentarily unconscious, and his car got hit but two more cars, engolfing his Ferrari in flames). He was saved only because of Hertl, Merzario and a couple of others' efforts, who jumped to the paralized marshall, took the fire estinguisher off his hands, and while Ertl was using it on the cockpit, Merzario went into the flames and took Lauda out of his car.

There were pictures of Lauda laying on the grass, looking at his hands. Both his face and hands were covered in blood. He asked the drivers "how bad is it?" and Merzario, who confessed he was feeling sick to his stomac, told him "Just a little burn, you'll be fine soon".

The reality is that Niki's conditions were more than serious. For one entire week, it was unlikely he would survive. At one crucially difficult moment, his wife and doctor called for the priest, who gave Niki the final absolution. Miracolously instead, Niki made it thorugh the crisis. Keep in mind his head was so swollen, one could not distinguish it from the trunk.

Niki never gave too much importance to the burns, his only surgery was directed at fixing on eye, since he couldn't close it properly and the tears natually flowing out of it, made it hard to see well. Other than that, he dealt with the damage. At his first GP after the crash, he had a specially prepared helmet, which would allow him to wear it without oo much pain (his scars were still fresh), although his eye was still tearing. He arrived 4th. He certainly deserved to win the 77 title for his courage and overall performance (he lost by one point, with 4 GPs less than Hunt). However, the FIA returned to Hunt the 9 points from a DSQ for racing with a McLaren one entire inch wider than the maximum allowed, and Niki lost the title.