Niki Lauda, three-times Formula One world champion, dies aged 70

The sport of Formula One has united to pay tribute to the courage and bravery of its three-times world champion, Niki Lauda, who has died at the age of 70.

The Austrian died in Vienna on Monday, his family announced, nine months after receiving a lung transplant. Lauda, who won titles in 1975, 1977 and 1984, was hugely admired, respected and liked within F1 after a remarkable career during which he won two titles for Ferrari and one for McLaren and came back from an horrific accident in 1976.

Trapped in his burning car at the German Grand Prix, he was pulled from the wreckage, but suffered severe burns and damage to his lungs. Despite doubts he would survive or indeed ever race again, Lauda’s determination to do so was extraordinary and just six weeks later he returned for the Italian Grand Prix, still bandaged and in pain after extensive surgery.

Sir Jackie Stewart, a fellow three-times world champion who raced alongside Lauda in the early 1970s, described him as one of the bravest drivers in the history of the sport.

“Niki had a degree of bravery that I had never seen the like of before,” Stewart, 79, said. “I remember seeing Niki put his helmet on, and his wounds were still absolutely obvious. To be brave enough to put on the helmet was amazing, but then he went out and qualified fifth.

“He will not go down as just one of the best drivers of all time, but one of the most courageous, too. Niki Lauda will be remembered forever.”

Overall, Lauda competed in 171 races and won 25. He also actively pursued business interests including his own airline and went on to have senior roles in F1 management, most recently as non-executive chairman at the hugely successful Mercedes team since 2012, where he helped bring the British world champion Lewis Hamilton on board.

Hamilton has paid an emotional tribute to Lauda on Instagram. “My buddy, I am struggling to believe you are gone,” he wrote. “I will miss our conversations, our laughs, the big hugs after winning races together. It’s truly been an honour working alongside you over these past seven years.

“I wouldn’t have even been in this team if it wasn’t for you. God rest your soul. Thank you for being a bright light in my life. I’ll always be here for your family should they ever need me. Love you man. Your friend always, Lewis.”

Toto Wolff, the team principal at Mercedes, said: “Niki will always remain one of the greatest legends of our sport – he combined heroism, humanity and honesty inside and outside the cockpit.

“His passing leaves a void in Formula One. We haven’t just lost a hero who staged the most remarkable comeback ever seen, but also a man who brought precious clarity and candour.

“Our Mercedes team has also lost a guiding light. Niki, you are quite simply irreplaceable, there will never be another like you. It was our honour to call you our chairman – and my privilege to call you my friend.”

“Everyone who was in Formula One knew Niki’s personality as one of the most potent individuals in the sport,” Damon Hill told Sky Sports.

“He was highly intellectual, stoic, someone who didn’t have time for any of the BS in the business at all. He was eminently quotable all the time. It’s very sad to hear that we’ve lost Niki, but so many people have been affected positively by having known him.”

Chase Carey, chairman and chief executive of the Formula One group, issued a statement: “Formula 1 has lost not only one of the truly great exponents of the sport but also one of its heroes. His love of racing and the courage he demonstrated were simply extraordinary and he inspired so many fans. His passing is a great loss for the entire Formula 1 family and motorsport as a whole. All our thoughts go out to his family.”

Nico Rosberg, F1’s 2016 world champion with Mercedes, tweeted: “Dear Niki. Thank you for everything that you did for me. I learned so much from you. Your passion, your fighting spirit ... myself and all of your fans around the world are thinking of you and your family and wish that you Rest in Peace.”

Lauda was born in 1949 and pursued a career in racing against the wishes of his family, taking out a personal bank loan to ensure he could enter the sport. He made his debut in 1971 and impressed enough for Enzo Ferrari to offer him a drive with the Scuderia in 1974. Ferrari were rewarded with a podium on his first race and a win three meetings later in Spain.

The next year he took his first title for the team, their first for over a decade.
In 1976, he was in another strong position for the title when he crashed at the Nürburgring. Having made his astonishing return at Monza, Lauda could still have taken the title in Japan but opted to retire from the race, convinced the torrential rain made it unsafe. James Hunt, with whom he enjoyed both respect and friendship, took the championship. The story of the rivalry between the two drivers was turned into the 2013 film, Rush.

Lauda went on to take the title a second time in the year following his crash but, after two further seasons with Brabham, retired in 1979. He made a comeback for McLaren in 1982 and went on to win the championship in 1984 after a competitive fight with teammate Alain Prost. The Austrian took the title in the final race by just half a point. He retired from F1 for a second and final time in 1985.

A number of tributes to Lauda are expected to take place at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.