Niki Lauda, 70, racing legend founded a string of airlines
BERLIN — Formula One great Niki Lauda, who won two of his world titles after a horrific crash that left him with serious burns and went on to become a prominent figure in the aviation industry, has died. He was 70.
Mr. Lauda’s family issued a statement saying the three-time world champion “passed away peacefully” on Monday, the Austria Press Agency reported.
Walter Klepetko, a doctor who performed a lung transplant on Mr. Lauda last year, said Tuesday: “Niki Lauda has died. I have to confirm that.”
“His unique successes as a sportsman and entrepreneur are and remain unforgettable,” the family statement said. “His tireless drive, his straightforwardness and his courage remain an example and standard for us all. Away from the public gaze he was a loving and caring husband, father and grandfather. We will miss him very much.”
Mr. Lauda won the F1 drivers’ championship in 1975 and 1977 with Ferrari and again in 1984 with McLaren.
In 1976, he was badly burned when he crashed during the German Grand Prix, but he made an astonishingly fast return to racing just six weeks later.
Mr. Lauda remained closely involved with the F1 circuit after retiring as a driver in 1985, and in recent years served as the non-executive chairman of the Mercedes team.
Born on Feb. 22, 1949 into a wealthy Vienna family, Nikolaus Andreas Lauda was expected to follow his father into the paper-manufacturing industry, but instead concentrated his business talents and determination on his dreams of becoming a racing driver.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said “Niki, we will miss you.”
Mr. Lauda made his Formula 1 debut for the March team at the 1971 Austrian Grand Prix and picked up his first points in 1973 with a fifth-place finish for BRM in Belgium.
Mr. Lauda joined Ferrari in ’74, winning a Grand Prix for the first time that year in Spain. He won his first drivers’ title with five victories the following season.
Facing tough competition from McLaren’s James Hunt — their rivalry featured in the Ron Howarddirected movie “Rush” — Mr. Lauda appeared on course to defend his title in 1976 when he crashed at the Nuerburgring during the German Grand Prix. Several drivers stopped to help pull him from the burning car, but the accident would scar him for life. The baseball cap Mr. Lauda almost always wore in public became a personal trademark.
“The main damage, I think to myself, was lung damage from inhaling all the flames and fumes while I was sitting in the car for about 50 seconds,” he recalled nearly a decade later. “It was something like 800 degrees.”
He retired for good in 1985, saying he needed more time to devote to his airline business.
Lauda Air expanded in the 1980s and in 1997, longtime rival Austrian Airlines took a minority stake. Austrian later took full control.
Mr. Lauda founded a new airline, Niki, in 2003. Germany’s Air Berlin took a minority stake and later full control of that airline.