Lauda film team in Vienna

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Filmmakers working on the story of Austrian Formula 1 champion driver Niki Lauda were in Vienna over the weekend to shoot scenes for the film due out next year.

"Rush" tells the story of the 1976 crash that almost claimed the life of the three times world champion who weeks after the accident was back behind the wheel to challenge his rival James Hunt.

Oscar-winning director Ron Howard had earlier made a trip through the city together with the Vienna Film Commission manager Marijuna Stisits in January to check out locations. And over the weekend the team were in the city filming.

Howard, responsible for "Apollo 13," "A Beautiful Mind" and "The Da Vinci Code" is planning to film most of the scenes at the Nuerburgring in Germany but there are also several scenes involving the Austrian Lauda at home in Vienna.

Lauda is being played by Daniel Bruehol and the filming took place at numerous locations including Michaelperplatz, Singerstrasse, Blutgasse, Franziskanerplatz among others.

There are also shots made from the presidential suite at the Hilton hotel and a view from the Hotel Sofitel of the Vienna Ferris Wheel.