FORMULA 1 LEGEND NIKI LAUDA DIES

FORMULA One legend Niki Lauda has died at the age of 70, his heartbroken family have confirmed.  The three-time F1 world champion passed away peacefully on Monday – eight months after undergoing a lung transplant.

“With deep sadness, we announce that our beloved Niki has peacefully passed away with his family on Monday,” his family said in a statement.

“His unique achievements as an athlete and entrepreneur are and will remain unforgettable, his tireless zest for action, his straightforwardness and his courage remain.

“A role model and a benchmark for all of us, he was a loving and caring husband, father and grandfather away from the public, and he will be missed.”

He was considered one of the sport’s greatest ever drivers and in 1976 was badly burned when he crashed during the German Grand Prix, but made an astonishingly fast return to racing just six weeks later.

His comeback in 1976 after suffering severe burns became the stuff of legend and his battle with Britain’s James Hunt was the subject of the hit movie ‘Rush.’

Photo: Getty images-Dailymail UK

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