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Niki Lauda dead – who was the Formula One legend?
FORMULA One legend Niki Lauda has sadly passed away at the age of 70 – leaving his iconic racing career as inspiration to young racers and athletes.
We take a look at Lauda’s incredible career and the legacy he left behind.
Who was Niki Lauda?
Niki Lauda was an Austrian Formula One driver, who was born in 1949 in Vienna and died on May 20, 2019, in Vienna.
Lauda won three world titles as a Formula One driver in 1975, 1977 and 1984 with Mercedes and Ferrari.
He was the only driver in F1 history to have been champion for both Ferrari and McLaren, the sport’s two most successful constructors.
Outside of racing, Lauda founded three Austrian airlines: Lauda Air, Fly Niki, and Laudamotion.
He also served as a non-executive chairman of Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix.
What was the 1976 crash and how did it affect his health?
The F1 titan was severely burned in a near-fatal crash in 1976 and was given the last rites by a Catholic priest as he lay in intensive care.
But the last rites only spurred him on to greater things and he incredibly came back to the sport, winning his second world championship a year later.
At the 1976 German Grand Prix, Lauda collided with a barrier and his car went up in flames.
He inhaled toxic fumes and suffered horrific burns that left him close to death and with permanent facial scaring.
Despite the crash, he returned to racing just six weeks later.
The comeback became the stuff of legend and his battle with Britain’s James Hunt was the subject of the hit movie Rush.
But his severe fireball injuries and burns – contracted 42 years ago – left him battling health problems for the rest of his life.
He had two kidney transplants, with one donated by his brother Florian in 1997 and another from his wife Birgit in 2005.
He underwent a lung transplant in August 2018.
How did he die?
The three-time F1 world champion passed away peacefully on Monday, May 20 – eight months after undergoing a lung transplant.
Lauda passed away at the age of 70, after his heartbroken family confirmed the sad news.
The Austrian racer underwent a lung transplant in August 2018 after falling ill with flu-like symptoms while on holiday in Ibiza.
He had the procedure in Vienna, with medics revealing he had been suffering from “severe lung disease”.
Since his lung transplant, the 70-year-old’s road to recovery has been slowed by setbacks including a flu infection.
Earlier this month, he was transferred to a private clinic so he could have dialysis treatment for his kidney problems.
Speaking 10 days ago, his brother Florian said: “Niki is making progress but he is still in Switzerland”.
But it appears as though the F1 legend must have had a relapse.
Speaking about his health battle in 2018, the Austrian legend said: “I was in hospital until two days ago then I had permission to go home and I flew to Ibiza where I will spend Christmas with my family.
“I have to do six hours of training every day, helped by two trainers who don’t leave me for a second. But I am back in my own four walls, the air is clean, the weather is not inclement like in Austria.
“In a month they have told me I will be in top form and ready to go again. Doing what? My usual life – following Formula One, why not?”
Was Niki married?
Lauda had two sons, Mathias and Lukas, with his first wife Marlene Naus, and later had another son, Christoph, with another woman.
They married in 1976 and divorced in 1991
He then married Birgit Wetzinger in 2008 – three years after she donated a kidney to him after the one from his brother failed.
She gave birth to twins – a boy and a girl – making him a father of five.
What tributes have been made?
“With deep sadness, we announce that our beloved Niki has peacefully passed away with his family on Monday,” his family said in a statement.
“His unique achievements as an athlete and entrepreneur are and will remain unforgettable, his tireless zest for action, his straightforwardness and his courage remain.
“A role model and a benchmark for all of us, he was a loving and caring husband, father and grandfather away from the public, and he will be missed.”
British racing driver Jenson Button led the tributes, saying: “A legend has left us. Rest in peace Niki.”
McLaren tweeted: “All at McLaren are deeply saddened to learn that our friend, colleague and 1984 Formula 1 World Champion, Niki Lauda, has passed away.
“Niki will forever be in our hearts and enshrined in our history. #RIPNiki”
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Retired British racing driver Johnny Herbert said: “A real loss to Sport and a big hole in our hearts. Courageous, chatty, and extremely funny.
“I am going to miss you being around the @F1 paddock but the legend of Niki Lauda will live on, because you were a very very special man.
“Thanks for all the memories.”