Grapevine: Another Lauda Hits the Road

Niki Lauda's younger son Matthias, managed by brother Luca, makes his race debut in Spain this weekend.

But Matthias cannot count on much hands-on help from the triple Formula One World Champion when he turns out for his Formula Nissan race.

"I try to keep out of it because basically they both started doing it behind my back," said the Jaguar team principal at the Austrian Grand Prix on Friday. "The further I stay away, I think the easier it is for these guys to establish their own way of doing it."

The younger Lauda is the latest in a line of racing sons of World Championship winning fathers. Lauda senior was champion in 1975 and 1977 for Ferrari and 1984 for McLaren.

Briton Damon Hill (1996) is the only champion to be son of a champion - Graham won the title in 1962 and 1968 - while 1997 champion Jacques Villeneuve is son of the late title runner-up Gilles.

The list of modern Formula One champions to have racing sons includes South African Jody Scheckter, Brazilian Nelson Piquet, Australian Jack Brabham and Americans Mario Andretti and Phil Hill.