Formula 1 Legend and three-time champions Niki Lauda has been reported to have died at the young age of 70. He died after a few months after his lung transplant last summer that saw him being hospitalised and the last sickness we were told of was him being readmitted to hospital in January after suffering flu.
His family announced his passing early on Tuesday morning, saying:
“It is with great sadness that we announce that our beloved Niki passed away peacefully on 20 May 2019, surrounded by his family,”
Niki Lauda who was an Austrian driver won the Drivers’ Championship in 1975, 1977 and 1984 and finished runner up in 1976.
He was Born in Vienna, 22 February 1949, he was the son of a rich family who were owners of paper factories. He made his debut appearance in motorsport in 1968 when he participated in Formula V and Formula 3.
He took part in his first F1 race in 1971 at the Austrian Grand Prix but had to retire due to mechanical problems.
He joined Ferrari in 1974 and won his first F1 race at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jarama on 28 April before going on to pick up the world title the following year.
One year after his first Drivers’ Championship win, Lauda was involved in a serious crash at the German Grand Prix where he suffered serious burns to his face and body. Six weeks later, he was back on the track and continued his intense battle with British driver James Hunt for the world title, eventually winning by just a point. After leaving the sport in 1979 to pursue his own interests, Lauda returned to F1 in 1982 with McLaren.A third world title followed in 1984 before he retired in 1985.