Niki Lauda is not only a racing legend but the no-nonsense Non-Executive Chairman of Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
A three-time Formula One World Champion behind the wheel in 1975, 1977 and 1984, Niki has added a four more titles to his tally since his appointment to the position of Non-Executive Chairman of Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd. in September 2012.
Born on 22nd February 1949 to a wealthy industrialist family in Vienna, Niki was expected to follow his father into the paper manufacturing industry - but the young Austrian had other ideas. With his early motor racing career financed by a series of bank loans, Niki rapidly progressed up the motorsport ladder - eventually joining Scuderia Ferrari in 1974 and scoring his first win that same year.
A first Formula One title followed a year later - but it was the 1976 season that was to define Lauda's career, after he suffered near-fatal injuries in an accident at the Nürburgring. Through sheer force of will, Niki would return to the cockpit just six weeks later at Monza.
Scarred but undeterred, Niki would ultimately concede the 1976 title to his great rival and later friend James Hunt, before adding a second World Championship to his list of honours the following season.
After adding a third crown in 1984, Niki retired from F1 at the end of the 1985 season, taking on a role with German commercial TV station RTL as the resident expert in addition to acting as an adviser to Ferrari in the mid-90s.
For the 2001 and 2002 seasons, Niki became first Race Director and later Team Principal at the British Jaguar Racing Formula 1 team. He would return to the boardroom in 2012 as Non-Executive Chairman of Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Away from the racetrack, Niki has put his entrepreneurial talents to work for his second great passion - aviation. Lauda Air was born in 1979 and by the 1990s had obtained a worldwide scheduled flight concession, leading to close collaboration with Lufthansa and ultimately the takeover of Lauda Air by the German operator in 2002. Fly Niki was born 12 months later, itself eventually taken over by Air Berlin in 2011 and Niki's company Laudamotion at the start of 2018.
| Nationality: | Austrian |
| Date of Birth: | 22 February 1949 |
| Place of Birth: | Vienna, Austria |
| 2012 | Non-Executive Chairman, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport |
| 2002 | Team Principal, Jaguar Racing Formula One Team |
| 2001 | Race Director, Jaguar Racing Formula One Team |
| 1993 | Strategic Advisor, Scuderia Ferrari |
| 1985 | Formula One: Marlboro McLaren International - 10th |
| 1984 | Formula One: Marlboro McLaren International - Champion |
| 1983 | Formula One: Marlboro McLaren International - 10th |
| 1982 | Formula One: Marlboro McLaren International - 5th |
| 1979 | Formula One: Parmalat Racing Team - 14th |
| 1978 | Formula One: Parmalat Racing Team - 4th |
| 1977 | Formula One: Scuderia Ferrari - Champion |
| 1976 | Formula One: Scuderia Ferrari - 2nd |
| 1975 | Formula One: Scuderia Ferrari - Champion |
| 1974 | Formula One: Scuderia Ferrari - 4th |
| 1973 | Formula One: Marlboro-BRM - 18th |
| 1972 | Formula One: STP March Racing Team - Not Classified |
| 1971 | Formula One: STP March Racing Team - Not Classified |