Niki Lauda has died aged 70
The three-time Formula 1 champion passed away peacefully, his family confirmed in a statement on Monday.
His family added in their statement: "His unique successes as a sportsman and entrepreneur are and remain unforgettable.
"His tireless drive, his straightforwardness and his courage remain an example and standard for us all. Away from the public gaze, he was a loving and caring husband, father and grandfather. We will miss him very much."
Tributes have been pouring in from the motor racing community for the Austrian icon, with Jensen Button expressing his condolences on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/JensonButton/status/1130673553244770304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1130673553244770304&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.skysports.com%2Ff1%2Fnews%2F12433%2F11725118%2Fniki-lauda-three-time-formula-one-world-champion-dies-at-70
McLaren, for whom Lauda used to race, said Lauda 'will be forever in our hearts and enshrined in our history'.
https://twitter.com/McLarenF1/status/1130647543057211393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1130647543057211393&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.skysports.com%2Ff1%2Fnews%2F12433%2F11725118%2Fniki-lauda-three-time-formula-one-world-champion-dies-at-70
https://twitter.com/F1/status/1130702574083104768
https://twitter.com/ScuderiaFerrari/status/1130739414676779008
Lauda had a near death experience in 1976 when he crashed his Ferrari at the Nurburgring, escaping with severe burns to his face.
He finished second in the F1 Championship that year to James Hunt. Their rivalry was made into a film, Rush, in 2013.
Lauda had struggled with illness in recent years, undergoing two kidney transplants and receiving an organs donated by his brother and girlfriend.
In August 2018, he had a lung transplant after contracting a "serious lung illness."
RIP Niki.
