A sporting legend from a time when F1 was great.

Niki Lauda, Austrian Formula 1 legend, dies at 70

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-48345660

RIP indeed. Proper legend.

Sad day – I thought he was older, but I guess he’s been on borrowed time since 1976.
RIP

RIP. The Rush film was entertaining enough but the reality of Lauda’s accident and recovery was so incredible it’s almost impossible to dramatise. There was an excellent documentary some years back on the 76 season, focussing on Lauda vs Hunt, with heaps of archive footage that made the excitement, heroics and drama very real. The guy was a real fighter.

RIP indeed, proper legend, straight talker if ever there was one.

That’s Sad, 70 isn’t old these days, I had no idea he was ill. Was he still coming to races? I haven’t watched in a while.

the reality of Lauda’s accident and recovery was so incredible it’s almost impossible to dramatise.

Back in the car at 200mph 2 weeks later.  Incredible.

He’d been poorly for a while, lung transplant last year.  I think everyone hoped he’d be stubborn enough to recover but sadly not.

Maybe not the outright talent of fangio or senna but a drive and sheer determination certainly made him an equal.

Guy was more than a driver

Back in the car at 200mph 2 weeks later. Incredible.

40 days, but yeah.

One of my heroes…

RIP Nikki, thanks for the memories..

There’s story that I think shows the measure of the man that I haven’t seen doing the rounds, presumably because it’s not racing-related – Lauda Air suffered a crash of a 767 with the loss of all onboard because a thrust reverser deployed midflight, which Boeing insisted was recoverable. Niki re-enacted the flight in Boeing’s simulator 15 times, and in every instance he was unable to recover. He asked Boeing to issue a statement, but the legal department said it could not be issued because it would take three months to adjust the wording. Lauda asked for a press conference the following day, and told Boeing that if it was possible to recover, he would be willing to fly on a 767 with two pilots and have the thrust reverser deploy in air. Boeing told Lauda that it was not possible, so he asked Boeing to issue a statement saying that it would not be survivable, and Boeing issued it. Man of the deepest integrity, balls of the toughest steel.

Niki Lauda managed to survive for 43 years (and two more world championships) after being given the last rites. Not at all bad for a guy who died twice in the aftermath of that horrible accident.

I had the privilege to meet him (briefly) once at Goodwood, he did indeed look like a rat, he had piercing, inquisitive eyes and an intimidatingly sharp intellect. As a driver Niki was not only quick, but he had an unrivaled understanding of the technical aspects of his cars, his tactical ability saw him beat the arguably faster Prost in 1984.

You have to take Rush with a bit of a pinch of salt, apparently Hunt and Lauda were quite close even during their 1976 battle. Legend has it that they had interconnecting rooms at Suzuka in ’76 which prompted Lauda to goose-step into the adjoining room and announce “today, I vin ze world championship” much to the amusement of Hunt who apparently had female company at the time.

Perhaps this t-shirt sums him up nicely – Lauda wearing a James Hunt T shirt.

RIP.

Didn’t really take to him initially, but certainly grew on me during his time at Mercedes.
Obviously a very clever guy – the sport was lucky to have him.

Never really a fan of the man but massive respect for him as a driver and his subsequent careers.

Ponds, you beat me to it posting that story. A man who spoke truth to power and never gave up.