Niki Lauda has passed away at the age of 70. The Formula 1 legend is as renowned for his fearless driving style as he was for speaking honestly and frankly about the incident which almost ended his life.
At the Nurburgring in 1976 Lauda was involved in a near-fatal accident in which he suffered third degree burns over his face and body. Despite being administered the last rites he recovered to compete in the final race of the championship just 40 days later.
In this interview with Graham Bensinger, Lauda talks about his experience of waking up after surgery to graft skin to his face, his first reaction when he saw his new face, and how he coped with getting back behind the wheel again so quickly.
This interview is from 2017, and shows Lauda at his charismatic best. RIP, Niki.