Posted on 05/20/2019 7:04:28 PM PDT by God luvs America
VIENNA -- Formula One legend Niki Lauda, who won two of his titles after a horrific crash that left him with serious burns and went on to become a prominent figure in the aviation industry, has died. He was 70.
The Austria Press Agency reported Lauda's family saying in a statement he "passed away peacefully'' on Monday.
"His unique achievements as an athlete and entrepreneur are and will remain unforgettable, his tireless zest for action, his straightforwardness and his courage remain," the statement continued. "A role model and a benchmark for all of us, he was a loving and caring husband, father and grandfather away from the public, and he will be missed."
Lauda won three Formula One world championships and was the only driver to have won a world title with Ferrari and McLaren. His rivalry with British driver James Hunt was the subject of the film "Rush."
Lauda was badly burned in a near-fatal Formula One crash in 1976 and later became an airline entrepreneur
He had been a shareholder and team boss of the Mercedes Formula One team since 2012.
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.com ...
F1 ping...
What a man...!!
That dude lived fully...
just damn... RIP, God speed and my God bless
Lauda crash: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgUKbLXk-hA
No idea if Rush (2013) was remotely accurate, but it was an enjoyable movie.
Wow. Great driver.
Lauda struck me as a guy who was driven to throw everything he had into everything he did. I don’t mean that in a bad way. The odds that he beat and his determination to come back are nothing short of inspirational.
Laffite, meanwhile, was able to continue in the lead, and was left to battle with Riccardo Patrese for the victory. However, by the time the race reached lap 40, the McLaren pair of John Watson and Niki Lauda were looking extremely dangerous, despite having started from 22nd and 23rd on the grid. Both Laffite and Patrese were struggling with worn tyres, and were being caught at a vast rate of knots by the McLarens. Patrese attempted to pass Laffite on lap 44 but slid wide, and was passed by both McLarens. They also both found a way past Laffite on the next lap. From there Watson was left to lead home his teammate for a 1–2 victory, and one that still stands as the most places climbed from a lowly grid position to win the race.
From Me:
I was at that race and I will never forget what Lauda did:
After the two had climbed from way in the back to first place, Lauda rounded the Queens Hairpin turn, our seats were positioned perfectly. Lauda was in the lead, he turned inside, his left hand went up and he did a small circle with his index finger then pointed towards the finish line. Watson then took the lead. For the next 2-3 laps (?) Watson stayed in front while Lauda ran interference, keeping anyone else back.
Lauda could have won that race, but the Irishman was the number one driver. That was the agreement between gentlemen
One of my fondest memories from the 12 to 15 LBGP's I have gone to.
RIP Herr Lauda
Lauda won his F1 championships for Ferrari and Mercedes. He continued with Mercedes after he quit driving and is the person who signed Louis Hamilton as a Mercedes driver.
RIP.
Absolutely crushing news.
Wow. A true legend of motorsports.
RIP, Niki.
RIP.
Thanks for the ping.
The quintessential comeback kid of Formula One racing.
RIP, Nikki
You just took the ultimate checkered flag, Champ
Niki Lauda was one of my favorite F1 drivers.
Sad
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