Why did Niki Lauda retire in 1979?
He joined the Brabham team for the 1978 F1 season, but, after winning just two races over two years because of the inferior cars he was given, he retired from racing in September 1979 to focus on Lauda Air, the airline that he had founded earlier in the year. However, he survived and recovered enough to race again just six weeks later at the Italian Grand Prix. Although he narrowly lost the title to James Hunt that year, he won his second Ferrari crown the year after during his final season at the team. He was the founder of Lauda Air.Amidst a winless 1979 season for Brabham alongside Nelson Piquet, Lauda left the team after the Italian Grand Prix, following their move to Ford Cosworth V8 engines. After a two-year hiatus, Lauda returned with McLaren in 1982, winning multiple races upon his return.