Niki Lauda

Race Car Driver

Birthday February 22, 1949

Birth Sign Pisces

Birthplace Vienna, Austria

DEATH DATE May 20, 2019 (70)

#16,886 Most Popular

About

Austrian Formula One racer who won three F1 World Championships in 1975, 1977, and 1984. He became the first driver in F1 history to have been a champion for both Ferrari and McLaren. Also an aviation entrepreneur, he founded three airlines.

Before Fame

He was raised by a wealthy Austrian family who disapproved of his choice of racing as a career.

Trivia

The story of his duel with James Hunt was made into an American movie called Rush, directed by Ron Howard and released in 2013.

Family Life

He was married to Marlene Knaus from 1976 to 1991. They raised two sons, Mathias and Lukas. Mathias became a professional racer and Lukas became Mathias's manager. Niki married Birgit Wetzinger in 2008. The couple welcomed twins in 2009, a boy and a girl. 

Associated With

He and reckless British racer James Hunt had a legendary rivalry in the 1970s.