Background
Nicholas Andreas Lauda was born on February 22, 1949, in Vienna, Austria. He was a son of Ernst-Peter Lauda and Elisabeth Lauda, well-off paper industrialists. Niki Lauda was a grandson of a famous Austrian manufacturer Hans Lauda.
Niki Lauda
1974
West Kingsdown, Longfield DA3 8NG, United Kingdom
Niki Lauda chatting with his team manager and car designer Mauro Forghieri during the Race of Champions, Brands Hatch. Photo by Getty Images.
1974
Clay Regazzoni, Niki Lauda, Emerson Fittipaldi at the Grand Prix of Spain. Photo by Bernard Cahier.
1974
Niki Lauda celebrating his first Formula One Grand Prix victory for Ferrari in the Spanish Grand Prix. Photo by Bernard Cahier.
1974
Nennesmovägen 20, 334 33 Anderstorp, Sweden
Niki Lauda and Luca di Montezemolo at the Grand Prix of Sweden, Anderstorp Raceway. Photo by Bernard Cahier.
1974
Vía de Servicio A-1, km 28, 28700 San Sebastián de los Reyes, Madrid, Spain
Niki Lauda, Luca di Montezemolo, Ed Alexander during the Grand Prix of Spain, at the Circuito del Jarama. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier.
1975
Niki Lauda. Photo by Frank Barratt/Keystone.
1975
Monza, Italy
Niki Lauda racing at the Grand Prix of Italy, Monza. Photo by Bernard Cahier.
1975
2760 Route des Hauts du Camp, DN8, 83330 Le Castellet, France
(From left to right, first row from above) James Hunt, Niki Lauda, and Jochen Mass, Grand Prix of France, Paul Ricard. Photo by Bernard Cahier.
1976
Viale di Vedano, 5, 20900 Monza MB, Italy
Niki Lauda (right) with driver Harald Ertl during the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Photo by Tony Duffy.
1976
Monaco
Niki Lauda in action during the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix in Monaco. Photo by Tony Duffy/Allsport.
1976
Monza, Italy
Niki Lauda sits aboard the #1 Scuderia Ferrari 312T2 as mechanics make adjustments to the front wing before the Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza near Monza, Italy. Photo by Getty Images.
1977
Burgemeester van Alphenstraat 108, 2041 KP Zandvoort, Netherlands
Niki Lauda at the Dutch Grand Prix, Circuit Park Zandvoort, Netherlands. Photo by McCarthy/Daily Express/Hulton Archive.
1977
Zandvoort, Netherlands
Niki Lauda at the Grand Prix of Netherlands, Zandvoort. Photo by Bernard Cahier.
1977
Terlamen 30, 3550 Heusden-Zolder, Belgium
Niki Lauda of Austria talks to rival James Hunt before the start of the Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit Zolder in Limburg, Belgium. Photo by Grand Prix Photo.
1982
West Kingsdown, Longfield DA3 8NG, United Kingdom
Niki Lauda celebrates with second placed Didier Pironi after winning the Marlboro British Grand Prix at the Brands Hatch circuit in Fawkham, Great Britain. Photo by Adrian Murrell.
1982
Long Beach, California, United States
Niki Lauda (left) and Keke Rosberg of Finland stand in the back of a truck during a lap of honour after the United States Grand Prix West at the Long Beach Circuit in California. Photo by Allsport UK/Allsport.
1984
West Kingsdown, Longfield DA3 8NG, United Kingdom
Ayrton Senna (right) celebrating his first ever Formula One podium with winner Niki Lauda on the winners podium of the British Grand Prix in Brands Hatch. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier.
1984
Estoril, Lisbon, Portugal
Niki Lauda and Alain Prost (right) at the Grand Prix of Portugal, Estoril. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier.
1984
Fawkham, United Kingdom
Niki Lauda during practice for the British Grand Prix at the Brands Hatch circuit in Fawkham, United Kingdom. Photo by Getty Images.
1984
Detroit, Michigan, United States
Niki Lauda at the Detroit Grand Prix, Detroit. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier.
1985
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Niki Lauda of Austria before the Brazilian Grand Prix at the Rio circuit in Brazil. Photo by Allsport UK /Allsport.
1996
9-5 Rue Louis Notari, 98000 Monaco, Monaco
Niki Lauda as motorsport TV commentator and consultant for the Scuderia Ferrari during the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco, Monte-Carlo, Monaco. Photo by Darren Heath.
2014
Parc Jean-Drapeau, Montréal, QC H3C 6A1, Canada
Niki Lauda watches the action from the Mercedes garage during practice ahead of the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada. Photo by Mark Thompson.
2014
Red Bull Ring Str. 1, 8724 Spielberg, Austria
Dr Helmut Marko (right), consultant for Infiniti Red Bull Racing, sits in his car as he poses with (from left to right) Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Infiniti Red Bull Racing, Niki Lauda, non-executive chairman of Mercedes GP and former driver Gerhard Berger after qualifying ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. Photo by Mark Thompson.
2016
Messe Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Niki Lauda on stage takes his cap off after the announcement of his Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2016 Laureus World Sports Awards at the Messe Berlin, Germany. Photo by Tom Dulat.
2016
Messedamm 22, 14057 Berlin, Germany
Niki Lauda and his wife attend the 2016 Laureus World Sports Awards at Messe Berlin in Berlin, Germany. Photo by Boris Streubel.
Niki Lauda and British racing driver James Hunt (right) abandoning the race after they have crashed into each other. Photo by Hulton Archive.
1984
West Kingsdown, Longfield DA3 8NG, United Kingdom
Niki Lauda with the trophy that he won at the 1984 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch circuit in Kent, United Kingdom. Photo by Bob Thomas Sports Photography.
1977
Basinghall St, London EC2V 7HH, United Kingdom
Niki Lauda with the Victoria Sporting Club International Award for Valour in Sport, presented to him at the Guildhall in London. Photo by Dennis Oulds/Central Press.
1974
West Kingsdown, Longfield DA3 8NG, United Kingdom
Niki Lauda chatting with his team manager and car designer Mauro Forghieri during the Race of Champions, Brands Hatch. Photo by Getty Images.
1974
Clay Regazzoni, Niki Lauda, Emerson Fittipaldi at the Grand Prix of Spain. Photo by Bernard Cahier.
1974
Niki Lauda celebrating his first Formula One Grand Prix victory for Ferrari in the Spanish Grand Prix. Photo by Bernard Cahier.
1974
Nennesmovägen 20, 334 33 Anderstorp, Sweden
Niki Lauda and Luca di Montezemolo at the Grand Prix of Sweden, Anderstorp Raceway. Photo by Bernard Cahier.
1974
Vía de Servicio A-1, km 28, 28700 San Sebastián de los Reyes, Madrid, Spain
Niki Lauda, Luca di Montezemolo, Ed Alexander during the Grand Prix of Spain, at the Circuito del Jarama. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier.
1975
Niki Lauda. Photo by Frank Barratt/Keystone.
1975
Monza, Italy
Niki Lauda racing at the Grand Prix of Italy, Monza. Photo by Bernard Cahier.
1975
2760 Route des Hauts du Camp, DN8, 83330 Le Castellet, France
(From left to right, first row from above) James Hunt, Niki Lauda, and Jochen Mass, Grand Prix of France, Paul Ricard. Photo by Bernard Cahier.
1976
Viale di Vedano, 5, 20900 Monza MB, Italy
Niki Lauda (right) with driver Harald Ertl during the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Photo by Tony Duffy.
1976
Monaco
Niki Lauda in action during the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix in Monaco. Photo by Tony Duffy/Allsport.
1976
Monza, Italy
Niki Lauda sits aboard the #1 Scuderia Ferrari 312T2 as mechanics make adjustments to the front wing before the Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza near Monza, Italy. Photo by Getty Images.
1977
Burgemeester van Alphenstraat 108, 2041 KP Zandvoort, Netherlands
Niki Lauda at the Dutch Grand Prix, Circuit Park Zandvoort, Netherlands. Photo by McCarthy/Daily Express/Hulton Archive.
1977
Burgemeester van Alphenstraat 108, 2041 KP Zandvoort, Netherlands
Niki Lauda with his wife Marlene Knaus at the Dutch Grand Prix, Circuit Park Zandvoort, Netherlands. Photo by McCarthy/Daily Express/Hulton Archive.
1977
Zandvoort, Netherlands
Niki Lauda at the Grand Prix of Netherlands, Zandvoort. Photo by Bernard Cahier.
1977
Terlamen 30, 3550 Heusden-Zolder, Belgium
Niki Lauda of Austria talks to rival James Hunt before the start of the Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit Zolder in Limburg, Belgium. Photo by Grand Prix Photo.
1977
Basinghall St, London EC2V 7HH, United Kingdom
Niki Lauda with the Victoria Sporting Club International Award for Valour in Sport, presented to him at the Guildhall in London. Photo by Dennis Oulds/Central Press.
1981
London, United Kingdom
Niki Lauda celebrating in London his return to motor racing after a near fatal crash at the Nurburgring in 1976. Photo by Popperfoto.
1982
West Kingsdown, Longfield DA3 8NG, United Kingdom
Niki Lauda celebrates with second placed Didier Pironi after winning the Marlboro British Grand Prix at the Brands Hatch circuit in Fawkham, Great Britain. Photo by Adrian Murrell.
1982
Long Beach, California, United States
Niki Lauda (left) and Keke Rosberg of Finland stand in the back of a truck during a lap of honour after the United States Grand Prix West at the Long Beach Circuit in California. Photo by Allsport UK/Allsport.
1984
West Kingsdown, Longfield DA3 8NG, United Kingdom
Niki Lauda with the trophy that he won at the 1984 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch circuit in Kent, United Kingdom. Photo by Bob Thomas Sports Photography.
1984
West Kingsdown, Longfield DA3 8NG, United Kingdom
Ayrton Senna (right) celebrating his first ever Formula One podium with winner Niki Lauda on the winners podium of the British Grand Prix in Brands Hatch. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier.
1984
Estoril, Lisbon, Portugal
Niki Lauda and Alain Prost (right) at the Grand Prix of Portugal, Estoril. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier.
1984
Fawkham, United Kingdom
Niki Lauda during practice for the British Grand Prix at the Brands Hatch circuit in Fawkham, United Kingdom. Photo by Getty Images.
1984
Detroit, Michigan, United States
Niki Lauda at the Detroit Grand Prix, Detroit. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier.
1985
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Niki Lauda of Austria before the Brazilian Grand Prix at the Rio circuit in Brazil. Photo by Allsport UK /Allsport.
1992
Maranello, Modena, Italy
Niki Lauda at the Ferrari headquarter in Maranello, Modena, Italy. Photo by Franco Origlia.
1995
Towcester NN12 8TN, United Kingdom
Niki Lauda as technical advisor for the Scuderia Ferrari team at the British Grand Prix at the Silverstone Circuit in Towcester, United Kingdom. Photo by Clive Mason.
1996
9-5 Rue Louis Notari, 98000 Monaco, Monaco
Niki Lauda as motorsport TV commentator and consultant for the Scuderia Ferrari during the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco, Monte-Carlo, Monaco. Photo by Darren Heath.
1999
Carrer Mas Moreneta, 08160 Montmeló, Barcelona, Spain
Niki Lauda (center) with his sons Lukas (left) and Mathias, at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain. Photo by Tobias Heyer/Bongarts.
2004
Kitzbuehel, Austria
Niki Lauda and FIA Vice-President Bernie Ecclestone (back) attend the Kitz Charity Trophy at the Hahnenkamm Ski Races in Kitzbuehel, Austria. Photo Sean Gallup.
2013
4 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON M5R 2E8, Canada
Niki Lauda and actor Daniel Brühl at the Rush movie Press Conference at the Park Hyatt in Toronto, Ontario. Photo by Vera Anderson/WireImage.
2014
Parc Jean-Drapeau, Montréal, QC H3C 6A1, Canada
Niki Lauda watches the action from the Mercedes garage during practice ahead of the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada. Photo by Mark Thompson.
2014
Red Bull Ring Str. 1, 8724 Spielberg, Austria
Dr Helmut Marko (right), consultant for Infiniti Red Bull Racing, sits in his car as he poses with (from left to right) Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Infiniti Red Bull Racing, Niki Lauda, non-executive chairman of Mercedes GP and former driver Gerhard Berger after qualifying ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. Photo by Mark Thompson.
2016
Messe Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Niki Lauda on stage takes his cap off after the announcement of his Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2016 Laureus World Sports Awards at the Messe Berlin, Germany. Photo by Tom Dulat.
2016
Messedamm 22, 14057 Berlin, Germany
Niki Lauda and his wife attend the 2016 Laureus World Sports Awards at Messe Berlin in Berlin, Germany. Photo by Boris Streubel.
2017
Silverstone, Northampton, United Kingdom
Mercedes GP non-executive chairman Niki Lauda celebrates after the Formula One Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone in Northampton, United Kingdom. Photo by Dan Mullan.
2018
Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, Bishop's, London SE1 8XX, United Kingdom
Niki Lauda attends the reopening of the Hayward Gallery featuring the first major United Kingdom retrospective of the work of German photographer Andreas Gursky in London. Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett.
2018
Carrer Mas Moreneta, 08160 Montmeló, Barcelona, Spain
Niki Lauda during day two of F1 Winter Testing at Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo, Spain. Photo by Quality Sport Images.
Niki Lauda and British racing driver James Hunt (right) abandoning the race after they have crashed into each other. Photo by Hulton Archive.
Niki Lauda's first wife, Marlene
Mathias Lauda, the youngest son of Niki Lauda and Marlene Lauda
Lukas Lauda, the eldest son of Niki Lauda and Marlene Lauda
Birgit Lauda, Niki Lauda's second wife
Niki Lauda's paternal grandfather Hans Lauda. Photo by Brothers Basch.
Mia Lauda, daughter of Niki Lauda and Birgit Lauda
Max Lauda, son of Niki Lauda and Birgit Lauda
James Hunt, Niki Lauda's friend and his competitor in racing
(Niki Lauda's book translated into German by David Irving.)
Niki Lauda's book translated into German by David Irving.
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Science-Grand-Prix-Driving/dp/0879380497/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+Art+and+Science+of+Grand+Prix+Driving+Lauda&qid=1598532788&s=movies-tv&sr=1-1
1975
https://www.amazon.com/My-Years-Ferrari-Niki-Lauda/dp/0879380594/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=My+Years+With+Ferrari+Lauda&qid=1598532918&s=movies-tv&sr=1-1
1978
https://www.amazon.com/new-Formula-One-turbo-age/dp/0879381795/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+New+Formula+One%3A+A+Turbo+Age+Lauda&qid=1598533789&s=movies-tv&sr=1-1
1984
(The autobiography by Niki Lauda.)
The autobiography by Niki Lauda.
https://www.amazon.com/Hell-Back-Autobiography-Niki-Lauda/dp/009164240X/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=My+Years+With+Ferrari+Lauda&qid=1598532918&s=movies-tv&sr=1-5
1986
(A German edition.)
A German edition.
https://www.amazon.com/dritte-Leben-German-Niki-Lauda/dp/3900977747/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Das+dritte+Leben+Niki+Lauda&qid=1598534275&s=books&sr=1-1
1996
entrepreneur racing driver sportsman
Nicholas Andreas Lauda was born on February 22, 1949, in Vienna, Austria. He was a son of Ernst-Peter Lauda and Elisabeth Lauda, well-off paper industrialists. Niki Lauda was a grandson of a famous Austrian manufacturer Hans Lauda.
Born into a family of prosperous industrials, Niki Lauda experienced all pros and cons intrinsic to wealthy people way of life. Fond of automobiles since the early childhood, Niki was extremely happy when visiting relatives, who allowed him to park their vehicles.
The passion for cars led him to the strong decision of becoming a racing driver. Such an intention didn't match at all his parents' will who expected the son to pursue their business. Far from being a brilliant pupil, Niki Lauda forged his school certificate to convince the parents to give him money for car. On the very first day of driving his 1949 Volkswagen Beetle convertible, he had a little car crash.
Niki didn't give up his dream. To fulfill his ambitions of a race driver, he then dropped out of university and entered a racing school using money borrowed from Austrian banks to pay for his studies.
Niki Lauda began racing Minis in 1968. As to the start of his professional career as a race driver, it can be counted from 1971 when, due to a loan against his life insurance policy, he joined the March Engineering Formula after some time in Formula Vee and Formula Three. While still a driver in Formula Two, Lauda took part in his first F1 race during his debut season with March. By the next year, the number of F1 events in which he participated had risen to 12.
In the 1973 F1 season, Lauda competed for the British Racing Motors team. The real success came to the racer the following year when he signed with the prestigious Scuderia Ferrari team and won his first race in the Formula One, finishing the season in fourth place. His career was in full swing. In 1975, Lauda topped in 5 starts and captured his first world championship.
The 1976 racing season turned to be the most storied in F1 history and perhaprs the most dramatic in Lauda's own career. Lauda won five races over nine and surpassed his closest rival in the championship standings by more than twice. During the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring that same year, a terrible accident happened to Niki. In the race's second lap, he lost control of his car and slammed into an embankment, that left the car burn into flames. Lauda was pulled from the wreckage, having inhaled noxious gasses. The burns caused irreversible damage to his eyelids, half of an ear, and large portions of his scalp. The sportsman laid in a coma for some time.
Although the injuries were extremely critical, Niki Lauda recovered and returned to full-time competition after six weeks of rehabilitation. The sportsman missed just two events, and in his absence, it was British racer James Hunt who had won the German Grand Prix, as well as one more contest. So, the two entered into an electrifying chase for the 1976 title. Hunt was three points behind Lauda before the final event, the Japanese Grand Prix. Heavy rains on the day of the race led Lauda to withdraw because of safety concerns, and Hunt finished in third place to capture the championship by one point.
Lauda won his second world championship the next year, having three victorious races and six second places. The success was paralleled by the disagreements with Ferrari's administration, mostly because of his decision to withdraw from the previous season's final race. Lauda stopped racing for the team with two events left in 1977.
The following year F1 season, the sportsman joined the Parmalat Racing Team. The inferior cars that he was provided with allowed him to win only two races over the time he raced for the team. In September 1979, Niki Lauda announced his retirement from the sport and concentrated on Lauda Air, the airline that he had founded earlier that same year.
Unable to stay without racing for a long time, Lauda resumed his performances in 1982, receiving the most lucrative driver contract in F1 history from the McLaren team. After finishing 1982 and 1983 in 5th and 10th place respectively, he had five victories in 1984 to win his third career world championship by a half-point margin. Niki Lauda retired from the sport for good after a 10th-place finish the next year.
After his retirement, Lauda served in various executive capacities for a number of racing teams, including Scuderia Ferrari and the Jaguar Formula One (from 2001 to 2002), and was a television racing analyst (commented Grands Prix for Austrian and German television on RTL since 1996). In September 2012, Lauda was assigned non-executive chairman of the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team.
Lauda pursued his way in aviation business as well. In 2003, he founded his next airline, Niki. Eight years later, the controlling stake of Niki was sold to its major partner, Air Berlin. In 2016, Niki Lauda purchased chartered airline Amira Air and changed its name to LaudaMotion. Following Air Berlin's bankruptcy the next year, LaudaMotion took over the Niki airline. A licenced commercial pilot, Niki Lauda served as a captain in several of his companies' flights.
Niki Lauda is regarded as one of the most eminent Formula One racers of all time. A three-time Formula One World Champion, he managed to earn this title competing for a couple of the most influential constructors, Ferrari and McLaren.
Over his 13-years career in Formula One, Lauda had 25 victorious races and 24 pole positions to his credit. He was the only racing driver to win a race in a car fitted with a fan to generate downforce.
Niki Lauda was a recipient of the British Racing Drivers' Club International Trophy and the Autosport magazine's International Racing Driver Award. He was named the Austrian Sports Personality of the Year, BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year, and the FIA Personality of the Year. Lauda was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1993.
A special post stamp issued by the Austrian post office in 2005 was dedicated to the sportsman. Three years later, the American sports television network ESPN placed Lauda 22nd in the list of all-time top drivers. An American director Ron Howard used the rivalry between Lauda and Hunt during the 1976 F1 season as the plot for his 2013 movie Rush. Lauda was played by Daniel Brühl.
(Niki Lauda's book translated into German by David Irving.)
1975(The autobiography by Niki Lauda.)
1986(A German edition.)
1996Niki Lauda was brought up in a Roman Catholic tradition. He once stated that he left the church for a while but came back when his two children were baptised.
Quotations:
"Giving up is something a Lauda doesn't do."
"I always go extreme ways."
"I am someone who places great value on the detail. That was always the case, even in my days as a racing driver."
"I hate being famous. You have no freedom. You can't do anything."
"Running an airline is a normal job. Racing is more."
"I like the mode of business of aviation. It's a risky business with difficulties which you can fill with innovative ideas and different things."
"I always knew about the risks I was taking. Every year, someone you knew was killed racing. You had to ask yourself, do you enjoy driving these cars so much that you're prepared to take that risk?"
"Pressure is always on if you don't perform. There is no question."
"From success, you learn absolutely nothing. From failure and setbacks conclusions can be drawn. That goes for your private life as well as your career."
"Happiness is an enemy. It weakens you. Suddenly, you have something to lose."
"Don't talk too much, be focused on the goal and achieve it."
"The less you talk, the more time you have for the essential things."
"My life is worth more than a title."
"Patience is a virtue in life, of course, but it's not something we F1 people have too much of."
Lauda was fluent in Austrian German, English, and Italian.
Physical Characteristics:
Niki Lauda was 1.71 meters tall and had bright blue eyes.
In 1997, Lauda underwent a kidney transplant, receiving an organ donated by his brother. In 2005, when the kidney failed, it was Lauda's second wife, Birgit Wetzinger, who donated the organ to her husband. At the end of the summer 2018, Niki Lauda had a successful lung transplant operation.
Niki Lauda was married twice. Marlene Knaus became his first wife in 1976. The family produced two sons, Mathias and Lukas. Mathias followed in his father's footsteps and became a racing driver. Lukas has served as his younger brother's manager. Niki and Marlene divorced in 1991.
Seventeen years later, Niki Lauda formed a family with a flight attendant from one of his airlines, Birgit Wetzinger. She gave birth to twins Max and Mia.
(born 1925)
(born about 1925)
(née Knaus)
(born January 30, 1981)
Mathias Lauda is an Austrian racing driver. He has competed for Aston Martin Racing as a factory driver in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
(born 1979)
(née Wetzinger)
(born March 25, 1896 – died January 21, 1974)
Hans Lauda was an Austrian manufacturer. A co-founder of the Federation of Austrian Industries, he presided over the organization from 1946 to 1960.
(born 2009)
(born 2009)
(born August 29, 1947 – died June 15, 1993)
James Hunt was a British racing driver who won the Formula One World Championship in 1976. After retiring from racing in 1979, Hunt became a media commentator and businessman.
