Short introduction

Anyone who talks approximately Niki Lauda nowadays in large part recalls his horrible coincidence and the accidents that accompanied. But even earlier than and after the coincidence, the bold Austrian racing motive force constructed a mega profession that many younger athletes can handiest dream of.

Early existence

Andreas Nikolaus Lauda, known as Niki, turned into born in Vienna in early 1949. His father and once more his father had been commercial entrepreneurs, that’s why the younger Lauda grew up in a reasonably wealthy, financially stable environment. He turned into a member of the Roman Catholic Church.

At the age of fifteen, Niki Lauda offered his first automobile, a VW Beetle Cabriolet. He turned into very pleased with it, however additionally wished quite a few money, that’s why he took a holiday task as a truck passenger. As a teenager, Lauda knew that he desired to paintings in motorsport. However, his own circle of relatives turned into skeptical, the end result turned into a large argument.

Since the own circle of relatives not helped him, Lauda then financed his profession himself thru loans and the usage of his locally regarded remaining name. In 1968 he drove his first automobile race with a Mini Cooper and took 2nd region. In the subsequent yr he turned into at the Kaimann group numerous instances at the podium.

Career

Niki Lauda drove his first sports activities automobile races with Porsche and BMW withinside the Seventies and gained, amongst different things, the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring. After some begins offevolved in Formula 3, he switched to Formula 2 till he ultimately entered Formula 1 in 1971. There he reached 1/3 region on the Monaco Grand Prix, whereupon Ferrari presented him a settlement. With this group, Lauda completed athletic length and gained his first Grand Prix in Spain in 1974.

1975 turned into accompanied through Lauda’s first global championship name after having been a fave all season. In 1976 he additionally led the scores and completed 4 of 8 victories. In August, his coincidence ultimately took place on the Nürburgring, wherein Lauda’s automobile went up in flames after an coincidence. The racing motive force turned into significantly injured, turned into in a coma and suffered smoke poisoning.

Nevertheless, the bold younger athlete commenced his subsequent race after handiest six weeks and couldn’t be stopped: Despite his wounds, he reached fourth region. In 1977 the second one World Cup victory accompanied immediately. Due to variations with Ferrari, Lauda then switched to Brabham and turned into fourth once more in 1978. From 1979 to 1982, the racing motive force took a damage due to the fact he lacked motivation and committed himself to different initiatives till he joined the McLaren group in 1982.

Niki Lauda gained the World Cup in 1984 through a totally slender margin. The following yr, he retired from his motorsport profession after triumphing a very last Grand Prix. Subsequently, Lauda constructed numerous airlines, labored as a representative for Ferrari and Jaguar and acted as a comoder and sports activities professional in Formula 1 broadcasts. The racing motive force died in Zurich in May 2019 after critical fitness problems.

Career highlights

Already withinside the sixties and seventies Niki Lauda gained numerous small competitions. In 1973, while he had handiest been lively in Formula 1 for 2 years, the younger motive force completed 1/3 on the Monaco Grand Prix. This earned him a settlement with Ferrari, amongst different things, and as time went on, Lauda helped the group to new achievement withinside the industry.

The successes withinside the seventies had been great. In 1974 Lauda gained his first Grand Prix and turned into fourth withinside the complete season, the subsequent yr he acquired the sector champion name in Germany. He drove the Nürburgring in below seven mins and turned into the primary Ferrari motive force to be offered a Formula 1 global name seeing that 1964. Another victory withinside the World Championship accompanied in 1977, and then Austria named Lauda Sportsman of the Year.

Niki Lauda acquired his 1/3 and remaining World Cup victory in 1984. This season he gained 5 instances and gained the championship through 1/2 of a point. In total, Lauda accrued 420 World Championship points, fifty four podium finishes and extra than 1,500 management rounds all through his fourteen lively years. After him, Austria’s athlete-of-the-yr award turned into now no longer handiest renamed “Niki”, there’s additionally a Niki-Lauda-Allee.

Famous quotes

– “We needed to address the reality that we may not be there tomorrow. We lived faster. More intense. ”

– “Since I handiest stay at the proper foot in my task, I don’t care what I appearance like.”

– “My entire existence turned into some thing of a game.”

– “Life is extra crucial than the sector name.”

– “There isn’t anyt any extra profitable discipline of experimentation than Formula 1 to push the boundaries of what’s possible.”

Amazing facts

– Niki Lauda couldn’t handiest pressure a automobile, however additionally a tractor.

– Before retiring in 1984, it turned into deliberate that Lauda could transfer to Renault after the season.

– In 2013, the racing motive force offered ten percentage of the stocks in Mercedes Benz after he turned into already the chairman of the supervisory board.

– In Lauda’s coincidence he wore a specially snug helmet, which turned into too large and consequently flew off his head. Lauda consequently acquired repayment from the producer for ache and suffering.