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Rush: What happened to Niki Lauda? What caused the death of the Formula One legend? Here’s where you’ll find everything you need to know about him. 

Niki Lauda was a Formula One driver and aviation entrepreneur from Austria.

He won the F1 World Drivers’ Championship three times, in 1975, 1977, and 1984.

Lauda is the only driver in Formula One history to win titles with both Ferrari and McLaren, the sport’s two most successful constructors.

He started and ran three airlines as an aviation entrepreneur: Lauda Air, Niki, and Lauda.

For two years, he worked as a consultant for Scuderia Ferrari and as the team manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team.

Following that, he worked as a Grand Prix commentator for German television and served as non-executive chairman of Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport, of which Lauda controlled 10%.

Rush: What Happened to Niki Lauda? Death Cause

Niki Lauda died on May 20, 2019, at the age of 70, from a kidney problem.

The death of the great athlete comes just months after he underwent lung transplant surgery.

In 1997 and 2005, he received kidney transplants, and earlier in the year, he was admitted to the hospital with the flu. Not long before his death, he received dialysis in a clinic in Switzerland.

Niki Lauda Wife And Kids: Married Life Explored

Niki Lauda was married to his first wife, Marlene Knaus, in 1976, but they got divorced in 1991.

After that, Lauda had no desire to marry, but that all changed when he met his second wife, Birgit Wetzinger.

In a 2017 interview with “In Depth With Graham Bensinger,” the Formula One icon stated that Birgit had passed a kidney donor test and had given her organ to her husband barely eight months after they met.

After she donated her kidney in 2008, Niki and Birgit married three years later.

A year later, the flight attendant had twins. Son Max and daughter Mia were given to the happy couple.

Nicki had three more children from two separate women, in addition to his widow Birgit and their twins. He has two boys from his first marriage: Mathias, who is also a race driver, and Lucas.

Lauda also had a son, Christoph, with an unknown lover, which led to his divorce from Marlene.

Disclosing Niki Lauda Net Worth

According to celebritynetworth  Niki Lauda’s net worth was $200 million at the time of his death in 2019.

Lauda had a $1 million annual salary when he joined Brabham-Alfa Romeo in 1978. After adjusting for inflation, that equates to about $4 million today.

He returned to racing in 1982 with McLaren after a brief hiatus. His McLaren contract paid $3 million per year, the equivalent of $12 million today.

Where Did Niki Lauda Crash?

Lauda was involved in a horrific incident at the Nurburgring during the German Grand Prix in 1976. He escaped with his life but suffered third-degree burns to his face and head, as well as the loss of his right ear.

He also inhaled hazardous gases, which caused lung damage.

Niki recovered quickly and raced again roughly 40 days after what should have been a career-ending injury. In the Italian Grand Prix, he came in fourth place.

His fast recuperation and return to the racetrack following a near-fatal accident, on the other hand, increased his profile as an F1 driver. Fans and coworkers admired and respected him for his incredible bravery and perseverance.

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