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RIP Racing legend Niki Lauda

Twister

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He was almost burned alive and disfigured in a accident and 40 days latter he came back and raced again. If you've seen the movie Rush it was the story of the competition between Lauda and James Hunt. Other movies were made about him.


Three-time Formula 1 world champion Niki Lauda produced the "most courageous act of any sportsman" in returning to racing so soon after a horrific crash, says former team-mate John Watson.

Austrian Lauda, who won the drivers championship in 1975, 1977 and 1984, died aged 70 on Monday.

He almost died following a crash in the 1976 German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.

Despite suffering severe burns and inhaling hot toxic fumes, he resumed racing 40 days later.

F1 legend Lauda dies aged 70
Lauda obituary: 'A remarkable life lived in Technicolor'
Listen: Lauda discusses Nurburgring crash
Briton Watson was a team-mate of Lauda at Brabham and McLaren in the 1970s and 1980s and was one of the first people to attend to him after the crash.

"I came around shortly after the accident and the other drivers that were there managed to get him out of the cockpit and walked him away," Watson told the BBC.
"We lay him down and I put his head in my lap and he was able to communicate.
"Nobody realised the actual damage to Niki. The real danger he was in was not from the superficial injuries that we could see but from the deeper injury which was that to his lung.

"He'd suffered inhalation of toxic fumes from the burning fibreglass and we didn't appreciate the severity of the injury that he'd suffered.

"It was only after two or three days that the story came out that it was the lung damage that was the injury putting his life in danger.
"Racing 40 days after that accident was the most courageous act of any sportsman I've ever seen in my life."

Watson, 73, added: "What was really more remarkable was the speed of his recovery and what he was able to achieve.
"His courage, his commitment, focus, determination and bloody-mindedness. All the naysayers were saying that 'Lauda is finished' but his health and condition at Monza was just remarkable.
"He was winning the world title in 1976 by a country mile up to that accident and it was this year where there was this battle between Niki and James Hunt, so there was a lot of motivation to get back into the car."

Three-time world champion Jackie Stewart told BBC Radio Four's Today programme: "During that accident he died twice and was resuscitated.
"Recovering from that accident, he came to Monza [for the Italian Grand Prix], which I was doing commentary for. He shouldn't have been there but wanted to get back to racing.
"I will never forget him putting his helmet on and he was suffering so much pain. When he came out from driving at the end I was there and the blood was running down out of his helmet.
"It's very sad news. I've known Niki for a long time and he was just entering grand prix racing when I was retiring. We had a season together. He always had great integrity and was one the smoothest, best drivers I've ever seen."

'One of the greatest legends'
As non-executive chairman of Mercedes, Lauda helped them win both the drivers' and constructors' title in each of the past five seasons.

Team principal Toto Wolff said: "First of all, on behalf of the team and all at Mercedes, I wish to send our deepest condolences to Birgit, Niki's children, his family and close friends.

"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 1. 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 to modern Formula 1. He will be greatly missed as our voice of common sense.

"Our Mercedes team has also lost a guiding light.

"As a team-mate over the past six and a half years, Niki was always brutally honest - and utterly loyal. It was a privilege to count him among our team and moving to witness just how much it meant to him to be part of the team's success."
 

GameBoy27

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Nov 23, 2004
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Such an amazing individual. Overcoming his injuries in '76 was one of the bravest acts in the history of sport. The man was a brilliant driver, coupled with his sense of humour made him a champion both in and out of the car. Lauda carried the scars, including a mostly missing right ear, for the rest of his life and always had a matter-of-fact approach to his disfigurement. It didn't bother him, he said, and if others felt differently, that was their problem.

His injuries, in fact, were often the butt of his merciless wit.

Once it was pointed out to him that, owing to the rule that says the original start of a race does not count if there is a restart, he had not officially taken part in the 1976 German Grand Prix. "Oh yes," he said, in his clipped tones. "So what happened to my ear?"

He was also a pilot and successful businessman, who set up two airlines and continued to occasionally captain their planes into his late 60s.

If you haven't seen the 2013 film Rush, directed by Ron Howard, centred on the Hunt–Lauda F1 rivalry, it's worth watching. You don't have to be an auto racing fan to enjoy it.

RIP

 

Darts

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Jan 15, 2017
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Condolences to his family and friends.

I don't follow auto racing but even I heard of him.

There are old auto racers
There are bold auto racers
But there are no old bold auto racers

Jackie Stewart retired young.
 

Insidious Von

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Sep 12, 2007
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Perhaps the most daring driver and easily in the Top 5 of the greatest racers of all time. Won two F1 Championships with Ferrari then another with Maclaren - Honda.

He never forgave Ferrari for not extending his contract after the 1978 Season. He was dropped in favour of Gilles Villeneuve for the 79 Season. Ferrari went into decline after Villeneuve died in a crash at Spa Francochamp. Maclaren-Honda dominated with Lauda and the cerebral Alain Prost. He had been working against Ferrari ever since, his expertise made Mercedes - AMG the dominant team that they are, they will miss him horribly. Considering the extent of his injuries, I'm surprised he lived to make 70. He was a tough old bird!

With much respect from a Ferrari tifosi.

Rush is my choice for Best Film of 2013. Daniel Bruhl (Lauda) and Chris Hemsworth as James Hunt were outstanding. It's Hemsworth's best role, proving him to be more than a pretty boy. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend you do so.

 

unassuming

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Feb 11, 2017
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RIP, definitely one of the greats. He was no nonsense, he told it like it was.

 

jcpro

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He was a single minded asshole, but he was the only driver I ever cheered for. He happened to dominate the field at it's most exciting and most dangerous. That's balls!!! Unfortunately (or fortunately), that F1 is long dead and never coming back. Today's version is as exciting as watching liver slide down the wall. Auf Wiedersehen, Nicolaus.
 

Darts

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Auto racing is one sport where women can compete with men "mano a mano" or is it "mano a womano". In fact, they might have a weight advantage like in horse racing.
 

bazokajoe

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jcpro,all drivers are single minded assholes. They always want to do better than their teammate.

That said,he was a courageous driver coming back from being burned like that. Loved hearing him speak the last few years while working with Mercedes. He would make a terrible politician because he speaks his mind which you have to admire.

R.I.P. Nikki.
 

jcpro

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jcpro,all drivers are single minded assholes. They always want to do better than their teammate.

That said,he was a courageous driver coming back from being burned like that. Loved hearing him speak the last few years while working with Mercedes. He would make a terrible politician because he speaks his mind which you have to admire.

R.I.P. Nikki.
LOL! Don't i know it, but Niki was in the class all by himself.
 

Zaibetter

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Lots of grit, he was courageous to come back in 40 days. He was propably still be hurting RIP
 

Richard.TO

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Just wanted to log in to give my respects to Niki and family. A truly amazing athlete and an all time great! RIP
 

Insidious Von

My head is my home
Sep 12, 2007
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Lauda became a stickler for driver safety, too many drivers lost their lives in the early years. He was single minded but he eventually did get all the drivers to buy into his proposals. I wonder how much input he had in the latest head apparatus feature on the current cars.

When Mario Andretti took the F1 Championship with Lotus in 1978, his secondo Ronnie Peterson was killed at Monza.

 

Insidious Von

My head is my home
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I laughed out loud when I watched this scene in Rush. It's total reality, Ron Howard being a racer himself knew.

 
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