Niki Lauda's Return

Champion in red

Niki Lauda was a precise, analytical driver who won the 1975 Formula One world championship for Ferrari. In 1976 he was leading the title race again when the series arrived at the Nurburgring in Germany, a 22-kilometre circuit through the forest that drivers feared for its length and the time it took rescue crews to reach a crash.

Lauda himself had argued that the old circuit was too dangerous. On the second lap his car swerved off the track, hit a bank and burst into flames.

Lauda had taken out bank loans to buy his way into racing early in his career, and he earned his Ferrari seat by impressing the team with his precise technical feedback and work ethic.

Saved by other drivers

Lauda was trapped in the burning car. Fellow drivers including Arturo Merzario, Guy Edwards, Brett Lunger and Harald Ertl stopped and pulled him out. He suffered severe burns to his head and had breathed in hot, toxic gases that damaged his lungs. For several days doctors feared he would not survive.

He did survive, and while still in hospital he began planning his return.

Six weeks later

Just six weeks after the crash, with his burns still bandaged, Lauda raced in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza and finished fourth. He admitted later that he was terrified in the car, and that facing that fear head on was the only way to beat it.

The title race went to the final race in Japan. In torrential rain at Fuji, Lauda pulled out after two laps, saying conditions were too dangerous. James Hunt finished third and won the championship by a single point. The rivalry was later told in the 2013 film Rush.

Ferrari had signed another driver, Carlos Reutemann, as cover, but Lauda returned in time to defend his lead himself.

Two more titles

Lauda won the championship again in 1977 with Ferrari, then retired, started an airline and came back to win a third title with McLaren in 1984, by half a point over teammate Alain Prost, the closest margin in championship history. He wore his red cap over his scars for the rest of his life, a symbol of the courage that made him a legend.

Later in life he also served as non-executive chairman of the Mercedes Formula One team, which won championship after championship from 2014.

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