“Our first common job was to bring Lewis Hamilton into the team. Niki was crucial in this process,” Brawn is quoted by Motorsport-Total.com.
“I convinced Lewis, visit us, but it was Niki who persuaded the Mercedes board to give us the money for Lewis. And that was no easy task.
“It turned out to be an important moment on the team’s current path.”
Brawn recollected that Lauda became more involved once Hamilton was signed, perhaps keen to see his intervention pay off for the Silver Arrows.
“He did not have to do that, but he wanted to understand the process in the team and he wanted to be an active part of it,” he said.
“I have to admit that he had a rather relentless approach and that there were many situations in which we clashed.
“But I think we found a good working relationship during the Mercedes time that the team ultimately benefited from, and Niki’s advice has always been valuable – not on operational issues, but on the big picture.
“His legacy is huge. He was an important part in the development of the team that currently dominates Formula 1 and could possibly be the most successful in the history of the sport.”
Source:GPFans