Niki Lauda

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Lauda's career began in karting before he progressed to Formula Vee and privateer sports cars. After his career stalled, he secured a spot in European Formula Two with March Engineering in 1971 using a loan backed by a life insurance policy, making his F1 debut at the Austrian Grand Prix. He quickly moved to BRM in 1973, where his performance at Monaco—running third before a gearbox failure—caught Enzo Ferrari's attention. Regazzoni spoke favorably of him, leading Ferrari to sign Lauda for 1974 and clear his debts. His first podium came on his Ferrari debut, with his maiden victory following three races later at the Spanish Grand Prix. In 1975, he won five Grands Prix and became the first Ferrari-powered World Drivers' Champion in 11 years, though he was not the first driver to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife in under seven minutes—Jackie Stewart had achieved that in 1968.

In Their Own Story

Leading the 1976 championship against James Hunt, Lauda urged a boycott of the German Grand Prix due to safety concerns, citing a lack of fire marshals and equipment. The race proceeded, and on 1 August 1976, during the second lap at the Bergwerk kink, his Ferrari 312T2 swerved off track, hit an embankment, and burst into flames. Trapped in the wreckage, Lauda suffered severe burns to his head and hands while inhaling toxic gases that damaged his lungs; drivers Arturo Merzario, Brett Lunger, Guy Edwards, and Harald Ertl rushed to help him before he could be pulled free. Miraculously, he returned to racing just six weeks later at the Italian Grand Prix. Although he lost the title to Hunt by one point, Lauda stayed with Ferrari in 1977, winning several races and clinching his second championship at the United States Grand Prix.

Reader's Guide

After leaving Ferrari for Brabham in 1978, Lauda achieved podiums in every race he finished that season, taking victories in Sweden and Italy. Following a winless 1979 campaign with Ford Cosworth V8 engines, he departed Brabham after the Italian Grand Prix to take a two-year hiatus. He returned with McLaren in 1982, winning multiple races before a winless 1983 season. This victory marked seven years between his second and third championships, breaking Jack Brabham's six-year record for the longest gap between titles. He retired after the 1985 season following his final victory at the Dutch Grand Prix, ending with 24 pole positions and 24 fastest laps.

Did You Know?

• Lauda is one of only two drivers to have won a World Drivers' Championship with both Ferrari and McLaren, the other being Alain Prost.
• After his career stalled early on, Lauda took out a £30,000 bank loan secured by a life insurance policy to buy his way into Formula Two with March Engineering.
• In aviation, he founded and managed three airlines: Lauda Air (1985–1999), Niki (2003–2011), and Lauda (2016 onwards).
• From 2012 until his death in 2019, Lauda served as the non-executive chairman and shareholder of Mercedes, winning six consecutive World Constructors' Championships from 2014 to 2019.