Why did Niki Lauda leave Ferrari?
In Italy some called him a coward. Even Enzo Ferrari had doubts and made plans to replace him, a reaction that angered Niki and made his winning the 1977 driving title a form of revenge. Having clinched the championship with two races remaining, Niki decided to skip them and told Ferrari he was leaving. Having announced his decision to quit Ferrari at season’s end, Lauda left earlier after he won the Drivers’ Championship at the United States Grand Prix because of the team’s decision to run the unknown Gilles Villeneuve in a third car at the Canadian Grand Prix.Lauda would go on to Brabham, after which Enzo called him a traitor. He retired afterwards, but would return to McLaren to win his third F1 title before retiring for good.
Who was the Ferrari driver that got burned?
Whilst leading the 1976 championship—amidst a fierce title battle with James Hunt—Lauda was seriously injured during the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, suffering severe burns and other life-changing injuries as his Ferrari 312T2 caught fire during a crash. Fellow driver Guy Edwards managed to avoid the blazing wreckage but Harald Ertl and Brett Lunger both hit it. All three drivers raced to the burning Ferrari and, with the help of the Italian driver Arturo Merzario, who also stopped, eventually managed to pull 27-year-old Lauda from his vehicle.Return to racing Lauda missed only two races, appearing at the Monza press conference six weeks after the accident with his fresh burns still bandaged. He finished fourth in the Italian Grand Prix, whilst being, by his own admission, absolutely petrified.Lauda would go on to Brabham, after which Enzo called him a traitor. He retired afterwards, but would return to McLaren to win his third F1 title before retiring for good. Afterwards, one of the more surprising twists in the intrigue of motorsport happened.