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Remains of Austrian motor racing great Niki Lauda lie in state

Niki Lauda addresses a news conference presenting his new airline Laudamotion in Vienna.
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Members of the public filed past motor racing great Niki Lauda’s coffin on Wednesday morning in his home city of Vienna as family, friends and hundreds of fans paid their last respects before a Requiem Mass due to be attended by stars of Formula One past and present.

The triple world champion, best remembered for his comeback from a fiery crash in 1976 that left him badly burned and scarred him for life, died last week at the age of 70.

Lauda’s family accompanied his remains from the rainy street into St Stephen’s cathedral, where his widow Birgit placed his orange driver’s helmet on his coffin.

He will lie in state in the gothic cathedral’s crossing for several hours before the Mass at 1 p.m. (1100 GMT), which will be attended by around 500 guests including his former McLaren teammate Alain Prost.

Five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who raced to victory in the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday in a helmet bearing Lauda’s colours and name, is also due to attend the ceremony, which will take place behind closed doors.

Fellow Austrian racing driver Gerhard Berger, Austrian-born star Arnold Schwarzenegger and two Austrian dignitaries – President Alexander Van der Bellen and recently ousted Chancellor Sebastian Kurz – are due to give short speeches at the end of the service.

Lauda will then be buried in a smaller, private ceremony.

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