I’m a big Formula One fan and recently learned about Niki Lauda’s incredible career. I was reading about his personal life and saw he was married twice. Can anyone share some details about his wives, particularly their influence or support in his racing career?
Niki Lauda did indeed have two wives! Here’s a quick rundown:
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First wife: Marlene Knaus (married 1976, divorced 1991) – Marlene was with Niki during his legendary comeback after his fiery crash at the 1976 Nurburgring race. They had two sons together, Mathias and Lukas, who went on to be involved in racing as well (Mathias as a driver, Lukas as his manager).
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Second wife: Birgit Wetzinger (married 2008) – Birgit was a flight attendant for Lauda Air, Niki’s airline. Their relationship gained some attention because Birgit donated a kidney to Niki in 2005 when his previous transplant failed. They had twins together in 2009.
