Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda (22 February 1949 – 20 May 2019) was an Austrian Formula One driver. He was a three-time F1 World Drivers' Champion, winning in 1975, 1977 and 1984. He was also an aviator, entrepreneur and writer.[1] He has founded and run two airlines and was manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team for two years. In February 2018, Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda signed a deal at Mercedes until 2020.[2][3]
Born | Andreas Nikolaus Lauda 22 February 1949 Vienna, Austria |
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Died | 20 May 2019 Zürich, Switzerland | (aged 70)
Formula One World Championship career | |
Nationality | Austrian |
Active years | 1971–1979, 1982–1985 |
Teams | March, BRM, Ferrari, Brabham, McLaren |
Entries | 177 (171 starts) |
Championships | 3 (1975, 1977, 1984) |
Wins | 25 |
Podiums | 54 |
Career points | 420.5 |
Pole positions | 24 |
Fastest laps | 24 |
First entry | 1971 Austrian Grand Prix |
First win | 1974 Spanish Grand Prix |
Last win | 1985 Dutch Grand Prix |
Last entry | 1985 Australian Grand Prix |
Lauda died after a period of ill health on 20 May 2019 in Zürich. He was 70.[4]
Niki Lauda raced in the 1973 F1 season as a member of the British racing motors team.in 1974 he signed with the prestigious pransing horse Scuderia Ferrari team and gathered his first career F1 victory (as well as an additional win), finishing the season in fourth place. The 1975 racing season is one of the most storid in F1 history. Through nine races, Lauda had 5 victories and more than twice as many points in the championship standings as his closest competitor. Lauda tried to get the other drivers to agree to boycott the 10th race of the season, the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, but Lauda lost and the race went ahead. On the second lap of the German Grand Prix Lauda crashed and his car went on fire.
First Race:1971 Austrian F1 GP
Last Race: 1985 Austrian F1 GP
First Win: 1974 Spanish F1 GP
Last Win: 1995 Dutch F1 GP