In The Eternal Racing Tracks, we remember drivers and paddock figures who have made a significant impact on motorsport and their rules and regulations. Today, on the 2-year anniversary of his death, we remember Niki Lauda (22nd February 1949 – 20th May 2019).
Recent fans of the sport will remember Niki in his role as non-executive chairman of the Mercedes team, where during races he was often sat next to Toto Wolff – whilst long-term fans will remember Lauda as a legendary driver, one who narrowly escaped finding his death on track only to then have a long and illustrious career. All fans, however, will remember his always-present red cap.
Andreas Nikolaus Lauda was born in Vienna, Austria. His family were wealthy thanks to their endeavours in paper manufacturing. None of that fortune was made available to Niki however, as his family believed that he would be bringing the respected Lauda name into disrepute with his racing ambitions. Lauda instead had to secure a loan to start racing in 1968. He started in a Mini, before moving on to Formula Vee and later to Formula 3. He also raced private Porsche and Chevron sports cars.
The Austrian then took out another loan, secured by his life-insurance policy, this for a whopping £30,000 pounds. He used this to buy himself into the March team in 1972, becoming a European Formula 2 driver. Around this time, Niki also abandoned all further contact with his family due to the ongoing feud over his racing ambitions.
Lauda’s racing must have impressed March’s team Principal Robin Herd, as alongside his F2 drive, the Austrian was promoted to driving for March’s F1 team as well. Whilst their F2 cars were decent, March’s 1972 F1 season was catastrophic. Niki found himself unable to prove his worth as a driver in the pinnacle of motorsport, but he had no choice but to keep on racing, as he had no official qualifications and thus couldn’t do much else.
In 1973, the Austrian took out yet another loan to buy himself into the BRM team. The car was quick, meaning Lauda finally had a shot at driving into the spotlight, but the car turned out to be unreliable and lacked engine power.
Soon after, Niki’s persistence was rewarded, as Enzo Ferrari began taking a keen interest in the Austrian after he finished 3rd in the Monaco Grand Prix. This was further aided by Clay Regazzoni, who used to be Niki’s teammate but left to (re)join Ferrari. There Clay spoke favourably about his former teammate, which prompted Ferrari to sign the Austrian, paying him enough to clear all his debts. The Italian team found themselves rather taken aback by Niki’s no-nonsense work ethic and brutal honesty however, as Niki so famously described their car as “a piece of shit”.
Lauda won only two races with Ferrari in 1974, but this was mainly due to mechanical unreliability. Niki was that season’s pacesetter, achieving six consecutive pole positions. This was also the year Lauda earned himself the nickname ‘the computer’ for his calculating clinical approach – Which stood in stark contrast to the rock and roll lifestyle most other drivers lived at that time. Niki’s approach paid off, though, as in 1975 he earned his first World Championship whilst Ferrari clinched the Constructors’ Championship, their first in 11 years.
Niki then had a strong start to the 1976 season. After five wins, him becoming a repeat Champion seemed ineventable. Then came the German Grand Prix, with the race taking place at the infamous Nürburgring. The track was so notoriously dangerous that Lauda urged fellow drivers to boycott the race due to the lack of safety arrangements.
This was a dark omen of what was to come, as Lauda’s Ferrari inexplicably crashed and burst into flames only two laps in the race. Four drivers and a marshall bravely plunged themselves into the blazing inferno to pull the Austrian driver out. Whilst being able to stand after he was pulled out of the car, Niki later collapsed into a coma.
In hospital it was established that he suffered from first to third-degree burns, mainly on his head and wrist, several broken bones and his lungs scorched from inhaling toxic fumes. He was in such a bad state that he was given up for dead and administered the last rites by a priest.
He recovered by what the medical profession called sheer force of will, or perhaps it was spite, as in Lauda’s absence his rival (and off-track friend) James Hunt had begun chipping away at the Austrian’s lead in the World Championship standings. In the end, Lauda missed only two races. Appearing at Monza only six weeks after the accident.
Today, health and safety regulations would have prevented Lauda from driving, but back then, Lauda got in the car to drive the Italian Grand Prix with blood-soaked bandages and a modified helmet – bringing the car home in fourth place. Later, Jackie Stewart described it as the ‘most courageous comeback in the history of sport’.
The Austrian Driver suffered extensive scarring from his accident and also lost most of his right ear, eyebrows and eyelids. He chose to limit reconstructive surgery, only replacing the eyelids and getting them to work properly. Since the accident, he was usually seen wearing his trademark red cap to hide most of the scars covering his head, often arranging for sponsors to use the cap for advertising.
At the 1976 season-ending Japanese Grand Prix, there was only a measly 3-point difference between championship leader Lauda and rival Hunt. At the Fuij track Niki decided to pull out of the race, deeming it too dangerous to drive due to the torrential rain. The Tifosi called Niki a coward, but fellow-driver James Hunt suggested that Niki’s withdrawal was an act of bravery.
As a form of revenge on the critics and the rumours of Enzo Ferrari wanting to replace him, Niki won the 1977 Championship title quite comfortably, before skipping Ferrari without remorse and moving onto Bernie Ecclestone’s Brabham Team. In 1979, prior to the penultimate race of the season, Lauda walked away from Formula One racing after the first practice session. He had no more desire to ‘continue the silliness of driving around in circles’ and chose to instead start his own airline, Lauda Air.
Lauda would return to racing with McLaren in 1982, taking a final World Championship in 1984 before retiring once more at the end of 1985. This brought to an end to a remarkable racing career for the Austrian driver.
There would be further heartbreak for Niki in his business ventures. On 26th May 1991, a Lauda Air Boeing 767 crashed in the Phu Toei National Park, Thailand. Only minutes after leaving Bangkok en route to Vienna, Austria. In this deadly crash 223 passengers and crewmembers perished.
Niki was personally involved in the investigation into the accident, which was attributed to a faulty reverse thrust on the left engine, but the devastating impact of the crash stayed with him thereafter. Niki subsequently sold the airline soon afterwards, and in a 2006 interview he stated that the crash in 1991 and the period after was the worst time in his life.
Whenever Niki would return to the F1 paddock in his later years, he held different managerial positions. In 1993, Lauda fulfilled a consulting role at Ferrari. Later, halfway through the 2001 season, Lauda assumed the role of team principal of the Jaguar Formula One team.
As Jaguar failed to improve Lauda and 70 other key figures were made redundant at the end of 2002. In September 2012, he was then appointed as non-executive chairman with Mercedes, taking part in negotiations to sign Lewis Hamilton. He held the position with Mercedes until his death in 2019.
Lauda died aged 70, at the University Hospital of Zurich, following a period of ill health. His family issued a statement to report that he had died peacefully, surrounded by family members. Various teams and drivers (current and former) paid tribute to Niki on social media and a moment of silence was held before the 2019 Monaco Grand Prix, which took place just days after Lauda’s untimely passing.
Mercedes Team Principal, Toto Wolff, paid a poignant homage to his former colleague;
“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.”
Mercedes ran with a red halo at Monaco and has since vowed that they will keep a red star tribute to Niki Lauda on their cars ‘forever’ so they never forget the influence the three-time champion had on their team.
Niki Lauda will forever be remembered as a man with a no-nonsense attitude who was never afraid to say what was on his mind. He was the epitome of fighting spirit and even after two years, Niki is sorely missed in the Formula One Paddock.
