Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda (22 February 1949 – 20 May 2019) was an Austrian racing driver and aviation entrepreneur. He was a three-time Formula One World Drivers' Champion, winning in 1975, 1977 and 1984, and is the only driver in Formula One history to have won a championship for both Ferrari and McLaren, the sport's two most successful constructors.
Lauda was an aviation entrepreneur who founded and ran three airlines: Lauda Air, Niki and Lauda. He was also a consultant for Scuderia Ferrari and team manager of Jaguar Racing for two years. Afterwards, Lauda worked as a pundit for German TV during Grand Prix weekends and served as non-executive chairman of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, of which he owned 10%.[1]
Lauda emerged as Formula One's star driver amid a 1975 title win and while leading the 1976 championship battle, Lauda was seriously injured in a crash at the 1976 German Grand Prix while racing at the Nürburgring; during the crash his Ferrari 312T2 burst into flames, nearly killing him after he inhaled hot toxic fumes and suffered severe burns.[2] He recovered sufficiently to race again just six weeks later at the Italian Grand Prix. Although he lost that year's title by just one point to James Hunt, he won his second championship the year after, during his final season at Ferrari. After a couple of years at Brabham and two years' hiatus, Lauda returned and raced four seasons for McLaren between 1982 and 1985, during which he won the 1984 title by half a point over his teammate Alain Prost.
^"Mercedes give Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda new long-term contracts". skysports.com. Archived from the original on 29 December 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
^Daily Express pp. 1, 8 & 16 Battle for Lauda's Life Monday 2 August 1976 "Heroes pull world champion from race wreck."
Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda (22 February 1949 – 20 May 2019) was an Austrian racing driver and aviation entrepreneur. He was a three-time Formula One...
third hull loss. Formula One world motor racing champion NikiLauda, who founded and ran Lauda Air, was personally involved in the accident investigation...
Lauda Air Luftfahrt GmbH, branded as Lauda Air, was an Austrian charter airline headquartered at Vienna Airport in Schwechat. It was owned by Niki Lauda...
Champion NikiLauda. Hans Lauda was born on 25 March 1896 in Vienna. His father Ernst Lauda worked in hydraulic engineering and bridge construction. Lauda studied...
originally founded by racing driver NikiLauda see Lauda Air. For the defunct Ryanair subsidiary, see Lauda (airline). Lauda Europe Limited is a Maltese low-cost...
McLaren driver James Hunt by one point from Ferrari's defending champion NikiLauda, although Ferrari took the Manufacturers' trophy. The controversy began...
about life in general. Early in their careers, Hunt and NikiLauda were friends off the track. Lauda occasionally stayed at Hunt's flat when he had nowhere...
Formula One world champion NikiLauda and his first wife, Marlene. He has a brother, Lukas, who is currently his manager. Lauda was born during his father's...
1984 FIA Formula One World Championship Drivers' Champion: NikiLauda Constructors' Champion: McLaren-TAG Previous 1983 Next 1985 Races by country Races...
International Cup for F1 Constructors, for the last time. Championship defendants NikiLauda and Ferrari had parted ways late in 1977, and both parties struggled to...
Nürburgring on 1 August 1976. It was the scene of reigning world champion NikiLauda's near-fatal accident, and the last Formula One race to be held on the...
Regazzoni's car being set up incorrectly, and NikiLauda's suffering from a lack of power. A subsequent test of Lauda's engine proved that there was a technical...
1977 Formula One season Drivers' Champion: NikiLauda Constructors' Champion: Ferrari Previous 1976 Next 1978 Races by country Races by venue The 1977...
was won by McLaren for the second consecutive year. Reigning champion NikiLauda retired after this season, although team boss Ron Dennis tried to convice...
with modified nose-mounted radiators for most of the year, driven by NikiLauda and John Watson, winning one race in this form and scoring sufficient...
1975 Formula One season Drivers' Champion: NikiLauda Constructors' Champion: Ferrari Previous 1974 Next 1976 Races by country Races by venue The 1975...
Austrian NikiLauda winning; and 1975 saw Briton James Hunt win his first championship Formula One race in his Hesketh. 1976 saw Hunt win again while Lauda was...
to Ford-Cosworth V8's with two races to go in the year. According to NikiLauda, this was not a step forward: during the first practice session with the...
began the team's most successful era; with Porsche and Honda engines, NikiLauda, Alain Prost, and Ayrton Senna won seven Drivers' Championships between...
Luca di Montezemolo signed both 1973 BRM drivers, Clay Regazzoni and NikiLauda. Ex-Ferrari driver Arturo Merzario found a seat at Williams (entered as...
engineer and father of Hans Lauda Hans Lauda (1896 - 1974), Austrian industrialist and grandfather of NikiLauda Jan Lauda, Czech sculptor instructor of...
champion NikiLauda joined the Brabham Alfa Romeo F1 team and to celebrate this new addition to Alfa's race team it was decided that NikiLauda was to be...
hit and killed track marshal Frederick Jansen Van Vuuren at full speed. NikiLauda won the race, but the accident sent shock waves throughout the sport....
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