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Niki Lauda (1949–2019)

Author of To Hell and Back: An Autobiography

17+ Works 195 Members 2 Reviews

About the Author

Niki Lauda was born Andreas Nikolaus Lauda in Vienna, Austria on February 22, 1949. At the age of 18, he quit school, borrowed money to buy a Mini Cooper, and got into mountain racing. A year later, he went deeper into debt to acquire a Porsche 911. He began seriously racing in 1969 and won eight show more races at a low level of competition. In 1973, he joined the Ferrari racing team. As a Formula One racecar driver, he won 25 Grand Prix races and won the Formula One world driving championships in 1975, 1977, and 1984. He retired from racing in 1985. He wrote several books including My Years with Ferrari. For many years he was a commentator on German television for Grand Prix races. He was also a licensed commercial pilot, who founded and ran his own airline Lauda Air from 1979 to 1999. He died on May 20, 2019 at the age of 70. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Image © ÖNB/Wien

Works by Niki Lauda

Associated Works

1 [2013 Documentary film] (2013) — Actor — 22 copies

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Canonical name
Lauda, Niki
Legal name
Lauda, Andreas Nikolaus
Birthdate
1949-02-22
Date of death
2019-05-20
Gender
male
Occupations
racing driver
entrepreneur
Organizations
Formula One
Ferrari
Lauda Air
Cause of death
died in sleep (he had been undergoing dialysis treatment for kidney problems)
Nationality
Austria
Birthplace
Vienna, Austria
Place of death
Zurich, Switzerland
Associated Place (for map)
Austria

Members

Reviews

2 reviews
This is more about the "back" than it is about the "hell" of Niki Lauda's terrible accident at the German Grand Prix in 1976, so the title could be considered a bit misleading. The movie Rush is more of a "to hell and back" story. Still, it was interesting to read about Lauda's experiences with various teams and his technical expertise. The translation certainly let Lauda's voice shine through; as I read I could hear the text spoken in his voice (or at least the voice of Daniel Brühl's show more version of him). Recommended primarily for hardcore Formula 1 fans. show less
Niki Lauda was an inspiration and a pillar to what the sport of F1 became, putting safety and performance together. What he went through during his accident and what he continued to do in building other teams and drivers up is nothing short of remarkable. Since passing in 2019, his presence has been sorely missed in the paddocks on race weekends. He will certainly never be forgotten. This is an interesting look into his life from Niki’s accounts and those closest to him. It’s certainly show more worth it to read or listen to. Also, if you haven’t already, watch Ron Howard’s Rush, which shows the rivalry and camaraderie between Niki Lauda and James Hunt and the horrific incident at the Nurburgring in 1976. show less

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Associated Authors

Statistics

Works
17
Also by
1
Members
195
Popularity
#112,376
Rating
3.8
Reviews
2
ISBNs
25
Languages
3

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