Super Rat

Who and why was a driver named Super Rat???

It was Niki Lauda, named because of his front teeth sticking out (like a rat).

See my last P34 post

Especially with his ear(s) burnt off he looked even more rodent like, man we can be cruel can't we :-)

Like a lot of the nicknames flying around at the time James Hunt was probably the culprit. Bruno Giacomelli was Jack O'Malley on his car.

In British F3 Gil de Ferran carried the name Herman Munster on his car.

I wonder if Maurice Trintignant's sobriquet would be allowed on this forum?

I seem to remember that David Purley (and others at the slower end of the grid were given the nickname of "Rats" by Lauda and I think it was Purley's idea to give Lauda his Super Rat title in revenge!

Can anyone add to this?

Lauda called Purley a "rabbit". In the end it was all in good part - Lauda had "Super Rat" on the front of his helmet and Purley had a Playboy bunny head on his Lec.

Would that have been before or after rabbit pulled Rat from blazing car?

After, but only if Purley were disguised as Arturo Merzario.

Surely the "Super-Rat" epithet was around even before Lauda's accident? I'm sure I recall him being referred to by the name even in the STP March days.

Would that have been before or after rabbit pulled Rat from blazing car?

That was the Roger Williamson accident in 1973

Thanks Alan! It was Guy Edwards I was thinking of who along with Mezario and Brett Lunger rescued Nikki. I really should engage brain before operating keyboard. Old age encroaches faster as the years go by.

Old age encroaches faster as the years go by.

I know that feeling!!