Niki Lauda is blessed – in Ibiza, for the formula 1 enjoys Idol after the lung transplant, his very own Christmas miracle. “Until two days ago, I was still in the hospital,” said Lauda: “I have received permission to return home. I flew to Ibiza, where I’ll celebrate with my big, loving family Christmas.“
The last months have been hard for Lauda, harder even than the time after his terrible fire accident on the Nürburgring in 1976. “At the time, I was only a month in the hospital – or a little longer. Yeah, I had burns, but I quickly came out of it,” said Lauda, in his first major Interview after the OP of the “Gazzetta dello Sport”: “this Time it was really long. But I’m still here.“ And Lauda is getting better and better. Ibiza Birgit and the common twins, Mia and Max is with him, of course, the wife, also the two elder sons, Lukas and Matthias, and friends to celebrate. “It is, as always,” said Birgit Lauda oe24.at: “This is-so to speak-our Christmas miracle”.
On the Mediterranean island of Lauda is also working to be back to his Old self next season, wants to travel, the chief Executive of the Mercedes team to the races. “I need to draw for six hours a day on the same day as Rehabilitation. Two rehabilitation experts let me no moment alone,” said the 69-Year-old: “The air is clean and the climate is not so unfriendly as in Austria. They told me that I’ll be back in a month perfect fit and I can start again. I want to go back to my everyday life, I’m going to keep track of the race as in the past.“
For his life the Austrians have felt never. “I have to be honest: no, I’ve never been afraid of. Because I was in the hands of professionals,“ said Lauda, of the 2. August, a new lung got – his own was damaged after the Nürburgring accident. “I knew it would be hard, very hard,” he said: “In such situations, you can only do one thing: fight. I’ve done it every moment, and do it.“
During his difficult time in the hospital has Lauda’s particularly pleased about the wishes for a speedy recovery from the Ferrari Pilot Sebastian Vettel. “The letter they sent me Sebastian Vettel has sent,” said the former world champion, gave him “the greatest joy”. The Heppenheimer have sent “a hand-written letter full of nice words. I had not expected it,” said Lauda: “pilots do this sort of thing. You to and final.“ Vettel have experienced this season, “difficult moments,” said Lauda, “but it would be absurd to represent him as the Pilot in question.” The 31-Year-old will return to the world Cup-Broke “strong as ever”, and also in 2019, the great rival of world champion Lewis Hamilton. The formula 1 won’t let go, Lauda is also on Christmas.
