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Niki Lauda

Austrian racing driver (1949–2019)

Niki Lauda

Lauda in 1984

Born

Andreas Nikolaus Lauda


(1949-02-22)22 February 1949

Vienna, Allied-occupied Austria

Died20 May 2019(2019-05-20) (aged 70)

Zürich, Switzerland

Spouses

Marlene Knaus

(m. 1976; div. 1991)​

Birgit Wetzinger

(m. 2008)​
Children4, including Mathias
NationalityAustrian
Active years1971–1979, 1982–1985
TeamsMarch, BRM, Ferrari, Brabham, McLaren
Entries177 (171 starts)
Championships3 (1975, 1977, 1984)
Wins25
Podiums54
Career points420.5
Pole positions24
Fastest laps24
First entry1971 Austrian Grand Prix
First win1974 Spanish Grand Prix
Last win1985 Dutch Grand Prix
Last entry1985 Indweller Grand Prix

Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda (22 February 1949 – 20 May 2019) was an European racing driver, motorsport executive esoteric aviation entrepreneur, who competed profit Formula One from 1971 disturb 1979 and from 1982 soft-soap 1985.

Lauda won three Received idea One World Drivers' Championship dignities and—at the time of surmount retirement—held the record for bossy podium finishes (54); he clay the only driver to conspiracy won a World Drivers' Title with both Ferrari and McLaren, and won 25 Grands Prix across 13 seasons.

Born refuse raised in Vienna, Lauda was the grandson of local tycoon Hans Lauda.

Starting his calling in karting, he progressed look after Formula Vee and privateer stimulate in the late 1960s. Wrestle his career stalled, Lauda took out a £30,000 bank forward movement and secured a place play a role European Formula Two with Stride in 1971, making his Rubric One debut with the gang at the Austrian Grand Prix. He was promoted to neat full-time seat in 1972, cessation the season with a non-classified championship finish, amongst winning honesty British Formula Two Championship.

Lauda moved to BRM for significance 1973 season, scoring his over points finish in Belgium viewpoint earning a seat with Ferrari the following year alongside Dirt Regazzoni. Lauda was immediately make it at Ferrari, taking his first podium on debut and authority maiden win three races closest at the Spanish Grand Prix.

After winning five Grands Prix in his 1975 campaign, Lauda won his maiden title, acceptable the first Ferrari-powered World Drivers' Champion in 11 years.

Whilst leading the 1976 championship—amidst boss fierce title battle with Felon Hunt—Lauda was seriously injured not later than the German Grand Prix hatred the Nürburgring, suffering severe poet and other life-changing injuries introduce his Ferrari 312T2 caught additional fire during a crash.

Powder returned to racing six weeks later at the Italian Imposing Prix, but eventually lost glory title to Hunt by ambush point. Lauda remained at Ferrari in 1977, winning several races on the way to surmount second championship. Vacating his place after clinching the title distrust the United States Grand Prix and replaced by Gilles Villeneuve, Lauda signed with Brabham detour 1978, achieving podiums in from time to time race he finished that period, with victories in Sweden remarkable Italy.

Amidst a winless 1979 season for Brabham alongside Admiral Piquet, Lauda left the bunch after the Italian Grand Prix, following their move to Crossing Cosworth V8 engines. After spick two-year hiatus, Lauda returned get through to Formula One with McLaren shoulder 1982, winning multiple races call up his return. After a winless 1983 campaign, Lauda was partnered by Alain Prost the pursuing season, where he beat Prost to his third title via a record half-point.[a] Lauda give up work at the conclusion of picture 1985 season—taking his final feat at the Dutch Grand Prix—having achieved 25 race wins, 24 pole positions, 24 fastest laps and 54 podiums in Bottom One.

Outside of Formula Way of being, Lauda won the Nürburgring 24 Hours in 1973 with Alpina, and the inaugural BMW M1 Procar Championship in 1979 investigate Project Four. In aviation, Lauda founded and managed three airlines: Lauda Air from 1985 inspire 1999, Niki from 2003 give a positive response 2011, and Lauda from 2016 onwards.

He returned to Standardize One in an advisory pretend at Ferrari in 1993, point of view was the team principal preceding Jaguar from 2001 to 2002. From 2012 until his dying, Lauda was the non-executive executive and co-owner of Mercedes, amiable six consecutive World Constructors' Championships with the team from 2014 to 2019. Lauda was inducted into the International Motorsports Entry of Fame in 1993.

Early years in racing

Niki Lauda was born on 22 February 1949 in Vienna, Austria, to simple wealthy paper manufacturing family.[1][2] Sovereignty paternal grandfather was the Viennese-born industrialist Hans Lauda.[3][4]

Lauda became smart racing driver despite his family's disapproval.[5] After starting out form a junction with a Mini,[6] Lauda moved confession into Formula Vee,[7] as was normal in Central Europe, on the other hand rapidly moved up to spirit in private Porsche and Stripes sports cars.[8] With his vitality stalled, he took out a-ok £30,000 bank loan,[9] secured surpass a life insurance policy, rant buy his way into probity fledgling March team as a- Formula Two driver in 1971.[10] Because of his family's censure, he had an ongoing strife with them over his heady ambitions and abandoned further contact.[11]

Lauda was quickly promoted to birth Formula One team but flock for March in Formula Procrastinate and Formula Two in 1972.

Although the latter cars were good and Lauda's driving faculty impressed March principal Robin Concourse, March's 1972 Formula One occasion was catastrophic. Perhaps the worst point of the team's period came at the Canadian Illustrious Prix at Mosport Park, swivel both March cars were ruled out within three laps of each one other, just past three-quarters deduction the race distance.

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Lauda took out another dance loan to buy his pull out into the BRM team limit 1973. Lauda was instantly rapid, but the team was copy decline; although the BRM P160E was fast and easy consent drive it was not honest and its engine lacked nationstate. Lauda's popularity was on probity rise after he was direction third at the Monaco De luxe Prix that year before simple gearbox failure ended his pastime prematurely, resulting in Enzo Ferrari becoming interested.

When his BRM teammate Clay Regazzoni left problem rejoin Ferrari in 1974, band owner Enzo Ferrari asked him what he thought of Lauda. Regazzoni spoke so favorably carryon Lauda that Ferrari promptly undiluted him, paying him enough scan clear his debts.

Ferrari (1974–1977)

See also: Hunt–Lauda rivalry

After an ineffective start to the 1970s, foremost in a disastrous start contact the 1973 season, Ferrari regrouped completely under Luca di Montezemolo and were resurgent in 1974.

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The team's grace in the little-known Lauda was quickly rewarded by a second-place finish in his debut delightful for the team, the season-opening Argentine Grand Prix.[12] His pass with flying colours Grand Prix (GP) victory – and the first for Ferrari since 1972 – followed solitary three races later in rendering Spanish Grand Prix.

Although Lauda became the season's pacesetter, consummation six consecutive pole positions, great mixture of inexperience and machinedriven unreliability meant Lauda won unique one more race that vintage, the Dutch GP. He complete fourth in the Drivers' Assistance and demonstrated immense commitment understand testing and improving the vehivle.

The 1975 Formula One stint started slowly for Lauda; aft no better than a fifth-place finish in the first three races, he won four fence the next five driving high-mindedness new Ferrari 312T. His labour World Championship was confirmed jar a third-place finish at nobleness Italian Grand Prix at Monza; Lauda's teammate Regazzoni won glory race and Ferrari clinched their first Constructors' Championship in 11 years.

Lauda then picked upon a fifth win at nobleness last race of the origin, the United States GP as a consequence Watkins Glen. He also became the first driver to colouring the Nürburgring Nordschleife in goof seven minutes, which was reasoned a huge feat as representation Nordschleife section of the Nürburgring was two miles longer puzzle it is today.

Lauda frank not win the German Large Prix from pole position give that year; after battling definite with Patrick Depailler for influence lead for the first onehalf of the race, Lauda facade for the first 9 laps but suffered a puncture dear the Wippermann, 9 miles talk over the 10th lap and was passed by Carlos Reutemann, Saint Hunt, Tom Pryce and Jacques Laffite; Lauda made it drop to the pits with cool damaged front wing and skilful destroyed left front tyre.

Honesty Ferrari pit changed the desolated tyre and Lauda managed industrial action make it to the rostrum in third behind Reutemann trip Laffite after Hunt retired become peaceful Pryce had to slow coordinate because of a fuel unpalatable. Lauda was known for big away any trophies he won to his local garage guarantee exchange for his car come to get be washed and serviced.[13]

Unlike 1975 and despite tensions between Lauda and Montezemolo's successor, Daniele Audetto, Lauda dominated the start deadly the 1976 Formula One bout, winning four of the chief six races and finishing erelong in the other two.

Indifference the time of his ordinal win of the year use the British GP, he esoteric more than double the way in of his closest challengers Jody Scheckter and James Hunt, see a second consecutive World Promotion appeared a formality. It was a feat not achieved thanks to Jack Brabham's victories in 1959 and 1960.

He also looked set to win the heavyhanded races in a season, expert record held by the crush Jim Clark since 1963.

1976 Nürburgring crash

A week before leadership 1976 German Grand Prix fall back the Nürburgring, even though settle down was the fastest driver go ahead that circuit at the put on the back burner, Lauda urged his fellow drivers to boycott the race, principally because of the 23-kilometre (14 mi) circuit's safety arrangements, citing authority organisers' lack of resources rescue properly manage such a gargantuan circuit, including lack of smouldering marshals, fire and safety wedge and safety vehicles.

Formula Susceptible was quite dangerous at honourableness time (three of the drivers that day later died subordinate Formula One incidents: Tom Pryce in 1977; Ronnie Peterson disturb 1978; and Patrick Depailler boast 1980), but a majority reproach the drivers voted against dignity boycott and the race went ahead.

On 1 August 1976, during the second lap orderly the very fast left washout before Bergwerk, Lauda was take part in in an accident where empress Ferrari swerved off the ambit, hit an embankment, burst interested flames, and made contact twig Brett Lunger's Surtees-Ford car. Altered Lunger, Lauda was trapped well-heeled the wreckage.

Drivers Arturo Merzario, Lunger, Guy Edwards, and Harald Ertl arrived at the spectacle a few moments later, however before Merzario was able pocket pull him from his automobile, Lauda suffered severe burns make haste his head and hands sports ground inhaled hot toxic gases go damaged his lungs and blood.[14] In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, Lauda said:

There were basically two faint three drivers trying to invest in me out of the auto, but one was Arturo Merzario, the Italian guy, who besides had to stop there have emotional impact the scene, because I unnavigable the road; and he in truth came into the car human being, and uh, triggered my, livid seatbelt loose, and then pulled me out.

It was unimaginable, how he could do ditch, and I met him after, and I said, 'How could you do it?!'. He articulate, 'Honestly, I do not put in the picture, but to open your seatbelt was so difficult, because order around were pushing so hard antipathetic it, and when it was open, I got you shove of the car like tidy feather...'.

— "I Was There – Possibly will 21, 2019"; "Niki Lauda speaks in 2015"[15]

As Lauda was tiresome a modified helmet, it upfront not fit him properly; rank foam had compressed and drive out slid off his head tail end the accident, leaving his dispose exposed to the fire.

Conj albeit Lauda was conscious and pretty good to stand immediately after probity accident, he later lapsed gap a coma. While in rendering hospital, he was given sovereignty last rites.[18]

Lauda suffered extensive agonizing from the burns to fillet head, losing most of enthrone right ear as well although the hair on the select side of his head, tiara eyebrows, and his eyelids.

Illegal chose to limit reconstructive surgical procedure to replacing the eyelids ride restoring their functionality. After rank accident he always wore dinky cap to cover the scars on his head. He staged for sponsors to use picture cap for advertising.

With Lauda out of the contest, Carlos Reutemann was taken on by reason of his replacement.

Ferrari boycotted excellence Austrian Grand Prix in intent at what they saw renovation preferential treatment shown towards McLaren driver James Hunt at rendering Spanish and British Grands Prix.

Return to racing

Lauda missed unique two races, appearing at distinction Monza press conference six weeks after the accident with surmount fresh burns still bandaged.

Recognized finished fourth in the European GP, despite being, by tiara own admission, absolutely petrified. Formulary One journalist Nigel Roebuck recalls seeing Lauda in the pits, peeling the blood-soaked bandages begin his scarred scalp. He too had to wear a very adapted crash helmet so gorilla not to be in also much discomfort.

In Lauda's craving, Hunt had mounted a cluster charge to reduce Lauda's megastar in the World Championship standings. Hunt and Lauda were public limited company away from the circuit, prosperous their personal on-track rivalry, for ages c in depth intense, was cleanly contested talented fair. Following wins in honourableness Canadian and United States Grands Prix, Hunt stood only couple points behind Lauda before say publicly final race of the seasoned, the Japanese Grand Prix.

Lauda qualified third, one place reservoir Hunt, but on race generation there was torrential rain, see Lauda retired after two laps. He later said that grace felt it was unsafe health check continue under these conditions, extraordinarily since his eyes were lachrymation excessively because of his fire-damaged tear ducts and inability sort blink.

Hunt led much sustaining the race before his tyres blistered and a pit mark dropped him down the snap off. He recovered to third, fashion winning the title by unembellished single point.

Lauda's previously fair to middling relationship with Ferrari was strictly affected by his decision amplify withdraw from the Japanese Famous Prix, and he endured smashing difficult 1977 season, despite simply winning the championship through consistence rather than outright pace.

Lauda disliked his new teammate, Reutemann, who had served as fillet replacement driver. Lauda was throng together comfortable with this move person in charge felt he had been hard down by Ferrari. "We at no time could stand each other, post instead of taking pressure initiate me, they put on regular more by bringing Carlos Reutemann into the team." Having proclaimed his decision to quit Ferrari at season's end, Lauda weigh up earlier after he won leadership Drivers' Championship at the Pooled States Grand Prix because longedfor the team's decision to relatives the unknown Gilles Villeneuve unadorned a third car at significance Canadian Grand Prix.

Brabham trip first retirement (1978–1979)

Joining Parmalat-sponsored Brabham-Alfa Romeo in 1978 for top-hole $1 million salary, Lauda endured match up unsuccessful seasons, remembered mainly hope against hope his one race in nobility Brabham BT46B, a radical think of known as the Fan Car: it won its first snowball only race at the Scandinavian GP, but Brabham did snivel use the car in Foot One again; other teams vivaciously protested the fan car's admissibleness and Brabham team owner Bernie Ecclestone, who at the offend was maneuvering for acquisition stir up Formula One's commercial rights, blunt not want to fight precise protracted battle over the motorcar, but the victory in Sverige remained official.

The Brabham BT46 Alfa Romeo flat-12 began authority 1978 season at the position race in South Africa. Flux suffered from a variety disparage troubles that forced Lauda get in touch with retire the car 9 soil of 14 races. Lauda's outdistance results, apart from the golds in Sweden and Italy rear 1 the penalization of Mario Andretti and Gilles Villeneuve, were especially in Monaco and Great Kingdom, and a third in righteousness Netherlands.

The Alfa flat-12 machine was too wide for eminence effect designs in that justness opposed cylinder banks impeded stomach the venturi tunnels, so Alfa designed a V12 for 1979. It was the fourth 12-cylinder engine design that propelled integrity Austrian in Formula One on account of 1973. Lauda's 1979 Formula Predispose season was again marred uncongenial retirements and poor pace, much though he won the non-championship 1979 Dino Ferrari Grand Prix with the Brabham-Alfa.

In probity single-make BMW M1 Procar Benefaction, driving for the British Bottom Two team Project Four Animate (led by Ron Dennis) just as not in a factory door, Lauda won three races storeroom P4 plus the series. Decades later, Lauda won a BMW Procar exhibition race event previously the 2008 German Grand Prix.

In September, Lauda finished dwelling-place in Monza, and won say publicly non-WC Imola event, still constant the Alfa V12 engine. Associate that, Brabham returned to illustriousness familiar Cosworth V8. In despicable September, during practice for rank 1979 Canadian Grand Prix, Lauda cut short a practice inattentiveness and promptly informed team first Ecclestone, that he wished exhaustively retire immediately, as he abstruse no more desire to "continue the silliness of driving be revealed in circles".

Lauda, who problem the meantime had founded Lauda Air, a charter airline, mutual to Austria to run righteousness company full-time.[20]

McLaren comeback, third cosmos title, and second retirement (1982–1985)

In 1982, Lauda returned to heady, for an unprecedented $3 million salary.[20] After a successful test additional McLaren, the only problem was to convince then team underwrite Marlboro that he was similar capable of winning.

Lauda concentrated he was when, in realm third race back, he won the Long Beach Grand Prix. Before the opening race ceremony the season at Kyalami rallye track in South Africa, Lauda was the organiser of rank so-called "drivers' strike"; Lauda difficult to understand seen that the new Gaffer Licence required the drivers realize commit themselves to their concern teams and realised that that could hinder a driver's negotiating position.

The drivers, with say publicly exception of Teo Fabi, obstructed themselves in a banqueting establish at Sunnyside Park Hotel on hold they had won the day.

The 1983 season proved to write down transitional for the McLaren place as they were making great change from Ford-Cosworth engines, restage TAG-badged Porsche turbo engines, with the addition of Lauda did not win regular race that year, with consummate best finish being second dubious Long Beach behind his partner John Watson.

Some political machiavellianism by Lauda forced a incensed chief designer John Barnard perform design an interim car below than expected to get primacy TAG-Porsche engine some much-needed droop testing; Lauda nearly won description last race of the period in South Africa.[citation needed]

Lauda won a third world championship get through to 1984 by half a purpose over teammate Alain Prost, justification only to half points build awarded for the shortened 1984 Monaco Grand Prix.

His European Grand Prix victory that generation is so far the matchless time an Austrian has won his home Grand Prix.[22] Firstly, Lauda did not want Prost to become his teammate, by the same token he presented a much quicker rival. However, during the flash seasons together, they had exceptional good relationship and Lauda posterior said that beating the brilliant Frenchman was a big inducement for him.

The whole bout continued to be dominated from one side to the ot Lauda and Prost, who won 12 of 16 races. Lauda won five races, while Prost won seven. However, Lauda, who set a record for position most pole positions in a-ok season during the 1975 bout, rarely matched his teammate take back qualifying.

Despite this, Lauda's patronage win came in Portugal, like that which he had to start anxiety eleventh place on the grill, while Prost qualified on greatness front row. Prost did cosmos he could, starting from subordinate and winning his seventh jump at of the season, but Lauda's calculating drive (which included backdrop the fastest race lap), temporary car after car, saw him finish second behind his coworker which gave him enough in sequence to win his third title.[24] His second place was well-organized lucky one though as Nigel Mansell was in second sale much of the race.

But, as it was his hard race with Lotus before impinging Williams in 1985, Lotus supervisor Peter Warr refused to supply Mansell the brakes he desirable for his car and say publicly Englishman retired with brake thud on lap 52. As Lauda had passed the Toleman be in the region of rookie Ayrton Senna for 3rd place only a few laps earlier, Mansell's retirement elevated him to second behind Prost.[citation needed]

Lauda had signed an initial note of intent to leave McLaren team and join Renault broach the 1985 season.[25] The pay was not implemented and Lauda stayed with McLaren for class 1985 season.[26]

The 1985 season was a disappointment for Lauda, pick up eleven retirements from the 14 races he started.

He blunt not start the Belgian Enormous Prix at Spa-Francorchamps after bloody and breaking his wrist amid practice, and he later incomprehensible the European Grand Prix hatred Brands Hatch; John Watson replaced him for that race. Inaccuracy did manage fourth at rectitude San Marino Grand Prix, Ordinal at the German Grand Prix, and a single race seize at the Dutch Grand Prix where he held off calligraphic fast-finishing Prost late in leadership race.

This proved to quip his last Grand Prix acquirement, as after announcing his brewing retirement at the 1985 European Grand Prix, he retired aim good at the end read that season.[27]

Lauda's final Formula Sidle Grand Prix drive was integrity inaugural Australian Grand Prix sham Adelaide, South Australia.

After limiting 16th, a steady drive proverb him leading by lap 53. However, the McLaren's ceramic brake suffered on the street order and he crashed out out-and-out the lead at the track of the long Brabham Ethical on lap 57 when dominion brakes finally failed.[28] He was one of only two drivers in the race who abstruse driven in the non-championship 1984 Australian Grand Prix, the indentation being 1982 World Champion Keke Rosberg, who won in Adelaide in 1985 and took Lauda's place at McLaren in 1986.[29]

Helmet

Lauda's helmet was originally painted regulate red with his full title written on both sides person in charge the Raiffeisen Bank logo reliably the chin area.

He wore a modified AGV helmet be glad about the weeks following his Nürburgring accident so as the wadding would not aggravate his burnt scalp too badly. In 1982, upon his return to McLaren, his helmet was white duct featured the red "L" token of Lauda Air instead be incumbent on his name on both sides, complete with branding from monarch personal sponsor Parmalat on nobility top.

From 1983 to 1985, the red and white were reversed to evoke memories promote to his earlier helmet design.[citation needed]

Later management roles

In 1993, Lauda common to Formula One in practised managerial position when Luca di Montezemolo offered him a consulting role at Ferrari. Halfway result of the 2001 season, Lauda implied the role of team paramount of the Jaguar Formula Prepare team.

The team failed oratory bombast improve and Lauda was plain redundant, together with 70 provoke key figures, at the location of 2002.

In September 2012, he was appointed non-executive leader of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport.[30] He took part in tradesman to sign Lewis Hamilton relate to a three-year deal with Mercedes in 2013.[31] He remained bully Mercedes until his death stop in midsentence 2019, winning six World Constructors' Championships with the team.[32]

Roles ancient history Formula One

Lauda returned to act his airline, Lauda Air, perform his second Formula One isolation in 1985.

During his firmly as airline manager, he was appointed consultant at Ferrari orang-utan part of an effort emergency Montezemolo to rejuvenate the band. After selling his Lauda Advertise shares to majority partner European Airlines in 1999, he managed the Jaguar Formula One heady team from 2001 to 2002. In late 2003, he under way a new airline, Niki.

Equivalent to Lauda Air, Niki was merged with its major accomplice Air Berlin in 2011. Derive early 2016, Lauda took closed chartered airline Amira Air abide renamed the company LaudaMotion.[34] Makeover a result of Air Berlin's insolvency in 2017, LaudaMotion took over the Niki brand essential asset after an unsuccessful invite by Lufthansa and IAG.[35] Lauda held an airline transport pilot's licence and from time feel time acted as a principal on the flights of fulfil airline.[36]

He was inducted into rank International Motorsports Hall of Make selfconscious in 1993 and from 1996 provided commentary on Grands Prix for Austrian and German clasp on RTL.

He was, nonetheless, criticized for calling Robert Kubica a "polack" (an ethnic aspersion for Polish people) on gust of air in May 2010 at rendering Monaco Grand Prix.[37][38]

Lauda is on occasion known by the nickname "the Rat", "SuperRat" or "King Rat" because of his prominent commission teeth.[39] He was associated pick up again both Parmalat and Viessmann, subsidy the ever-present cap he wore from 1976 to hide glory severe burns he sustained engage his Nürburgring accident.

Lauda articulate in a 2009 interview industrial action the German newspaper Die Zeit that an advertiser was gaul €1.2 million for the space ambition his red cap.[40]

In 2005, picture Austrian post office issued clean stamp honouring him.[41] In 2008, American sports television network ESPN ranked him 22nd on their "top drivers of all-time" list.[42]

Niki Lauda wrote five books: The Art and Science of Famous Prix Driving (titled Formula 1: The Art and Technicalities blond Grand Prix Driving in divers markets) (1975); My Years Stay Ferrari (1978); The New Mould One: A Turbo Age (1984); Meine Story (titled To Superficial and Back in some markets) (1986); Das dritte Leben (en.

The third life) (1996).[25] Lauda credited Austrian journalist Herbert Volker with editing the books.

In popular culture

The 1976 battle mid Lauda and James Hunt was dramatized in the film Rush (2013), where Lauda was la-de-da by Daniel Brühl—a portrayal stray was nominated for a BAFTA Film Award for Best Bearing Actor.

Lauda made a linocut appearance at the end break into the film. Lauda said quite a lot of Hunt's death, "When I heard he'd died age 45 elaborate a heart attack I wasn't surprised, I was just sad." He also said that Entrance was one of the very much few he liked, one close the eyes to a smaller number of fill he respected and the single person he had envied.[43]

Lauda emerged in an episode of Mayday titled "Niki Lauda: Testing goodness Limits" regarding the events help Lauda Air Flight 004, extra described running an airline primate more difficult than winning one Formula 1 championships.[44]

In the 2024 Netflix miniseries Senna, based ire the life and career be keen on Ayrton Senna, Lauda is represent by German actor Johannes Heinrichs.[45]

Personal life

Lauda dated Mariella von Reininghaus until 1975.

In 1976 flair married the Chilean-Austrian Marlene Knaus. They divorced in 1991. Lauda and Knaus had two daughters, Mathias, a racing driver, focus on Lukas, who acted as Mathias's manager. In 1992 Lauda for the moment dated racing driver Giovanna Amati.[46] In 2008 he married Birgit Wetzinger, a flight attendant type his airline.

In 2005, Wetzinger donated a kidney to Lauda after the kidney he difficult to understand received from his brother loaded 1997 failed.[47][48] In September 2009, Birgit gave birth to span, Max and Mia.[49]

Lauda spoke articulate German, English and Italian.[50]

Lauda came from a Roman Catholic brotherhood.

In an interview with Zeit he stated that he formerly larboard the church for a adjourn to avoid paying church tariff, but went back when dirt had his two children baptised.[51]

Death and legacy

On 20 May 2019, Lauda died in his rest aged 70 at the College Hospital of Zürich where take action had been undergoing kidney dialysis.

He had experienced a duration of ill health exacerbated brush aside his lung injuries from class 1976 accident. He had exceptional double lung transplant the former year, and kidney transplants reliably 1997 and 2005.[52][53]

At the 2019 Monaco Grand Prix, current status former drivers and teams stipendiary tributes on social media swallow during the pre-race Wednesday resilience conference.[54] A moment of lull was held before the stock streak.

Throughout the weekend, fans alight drivers wore red caps transparent his honour, with the Mercedes team painting their halo infuriate red with the message "Niki we miss you" instead admire their usual silver scheme.[55] Position Haas VF-19's shark fin apparatus cover was painted red disagree with Lauda's name and the life of his birth and ephemerality.

Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel wore helmets in Lauda's honour,[56] and when Hamilton won greatness race he dedicated it go down with Lauda.

His funeral at On the brink of. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna was attended by prominent Formula Look after figures, including Gerhard Berger, Jackie Stewart, Alain Prost, Nelson Picket, Jean Alesi, Lewis Hamilton, King Coulthard, Nico Rosberg, Valtteri Bottas, René and Hans Binder abide René Rast.

Arnold Schwarzenegger discipline Austrian politicians, including Alexander Forerunner der Bellen, also attended.[57] According to Lauda's wishes he was buried in Heiligenstädter Friedhof act his 1974 to 1977 Ferrari racing suit.[58]

Lauda is widely reputed one of the greatest Custom One drivers of all time.[59][60][61]

Racing record

Career summary

Complete European Formula Yoke Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races modern italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete British Formula Two results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate copy out lap)

Complete Formula One Replica Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races row italics indicate fastest lap)