Monoposto

Nº 14

Niki Lauda

1975, 1977, 1984 World Champion

Overview

Andreas Nikolaus Lauda, born in Vienna on 22 February 1949, won three World Drivers' Championships, in 1975 and 1977 with Ferrari and in 1984 with McLaren.1

He was badly burned at the Nürburgring in 1976 and was back racing about six weeks later at Monza, finishing fourth.1 He also founded three airlines.1 He died in Zürich on 20 May 2019, aged 70.1

1975

Five wins, 19½ points clear of Emerson Fittipaldi

First title

He won his first title in the Ferrari 312T.1 He won five races.2

Every Grand Prix finish, 1975

Numeral size follows the result. Round 1 at left.

1977

Three wins, 17 points clear of Jody Scheckter

After the fire

He clinched the title in the 312T2 at the United States Grand Prix, then left Ferrari, missing the last two races.13

Every Grand Prix finish, 1977

Numeral size follows the result. Round 1 at left.

1984

Five wins, half a point clear of Alain Prost

Half a point

In the McLaren MP4/2 he beat his teammate Alain Prost by half a point, 72 to 71.5.17

Every Grand Prix finish, 1984

Numeral size follows the result. Round 1 at left.

Image plates

5 photographs, in season order

Helmet

His helmet was originally plain red, with his name and a Raiffeisen Bank logo. After the 1976 crash he wore a modified helmet to protect his burned scalp, and in the 1980s it carried Lauda Air colours.1

He wore a red cap from 1976 to cover his scars.1

1975

Auge=mit · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Background removed

1977

Auge=mit · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Background removed

1984

Auge=mit · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Background removed

Three title cars

He won in the Ferrari 312T and 312T2, and then the McLaren MP4/2.1

The Ferrari 312T at Monza, 1975.

Ercole Colombo · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
1975
Ferrari 312T
1977
Ferrari 312T2
1984
McLaren MP4/2

Road to the title

  1. 1971Formula One debut in Austria, with March.1
  2. 1974First win, at the Spanish Grand Prix, with Ferrari.1
  3. 1976Crashed at the Nürburgring, and lost the title to James Hunt by a point.1
  4. 1985–99Ran Lauda Air, the first of his three airlines.1

Records

  • Three titles, across two teams and a decade1
  • Smallest title margin ever, half a point, 19847

Sources