The three-time drivers' champion, 65, has often displayed his passion for the sport's marketability.
And despite the 2014 F1 season the closest fought battle in terms of the title in recent times, after four years of dominance from Sebastian Vettel, Lauda said there were still many facets of the production that needed to change.
Lauda said making F1 racing more appealing to the average fan was one port of call.
"Formula One is seeing a serious cultural change," the Mercedes non-executive chairman said.
"It is logical that the young people of today have other priorities. Everything in the world is changing, but only Formula One is staying where it was.
"Young people do not want to stay at home on Sunday when the sun is shining to sit in the lounge with their father for two hours.
"The problem is that today, there is no alternative. You can't just sit on the beach and watch the race highlights on your smartphone."
Lauda said the lack of star power in the driving ranks was the cause for the lack of action at the turnstiles.
"We have a generation of drivers that, if they were not wearing their racing overalls, you would simply walk past some of them and not notice," he added.
"We must again have the drivers, not the bureaucrats, in the foreground.
"If we continue like this, no one will be bothered about Formula One anymore."