Austrian former Formula 1 World Champion (1975, 1977, 1984) Niki Lauda (1949-2019) has died. A F1 icon from the Seventies. In those days, when dead was often around near the F1 racing circuits, he almost lost his life in a heavy crash on the Nürnburgring (August 1st 1976). Severly burned, but six weeks later, he was already back, and he would miss the 1976 World Championship, with only one point difference from James Hunt.
After his 1977 victory, he retired and started his own airline, Lauda Air. But financial problems with his enterprise drew him back to F1 racing, and he won a third World Championship in 1984. Then, he returned to his airline, which had a drawback when, in May 1991, a crash occurred in Thailand, killing all 223 on board. Shocked, Lauda intended to resign, but the investigation proved, the airline had no blame in the accident. Lauda Air was later sold to Austrian Airlines, but Lauda remained in the airline business.
Due to inhaling hot toxic gases during his 1976 accident, he had lung and kidney problems the rest of his life, which became fatal for him last Monday.