GOAT Index

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Niki Lauda: the case for the GOAT

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    Niki Lauda: the case for the GOAT

    Austria · Ferrari, McLaren · Born 22 February 1949, Vienna, Austria · Died 2019 · Career 1971–1979, 1982–1985

    A methodical, analytical Austrian who won titles with Ferrari and McLaren and famously returned to racing just weeks after a near-fatal crash in 1976.

    Career highlights

    Why Niki Lauda could be the GOAT

    Lauda's comeback after his 1976 burns is one of sport's greatest acts of courage, and he won two more titles afterwards. He also won a title after retiring and returning, beating Prost in 1984. His intelligence and resilience set him apart.

    What fans say

    Niki Lauda is #7 of 20 in the fan ranking, with a 3–1 head-to-head record from 50 Formula 1 votes. See the full Formula 1 GOAT ranking

    Niki Lauda head to head

    How the ranking works. Every head-to-head vote is a result, like a game. The standings use a Bradley–Terry model, the same idea behind chess ratings: beating a highly rated legend counts for more than beating a long shot. Ratings are shown on a chess-style scale centred on 1500.

    One vote per matchup per person. If you see a pairing again in another session your new answer replaces the old one, so nobody can stuff the ballot by repeating a matchup.

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    Photo credits

      Photos come from Wikimedia Commons under the licenses listed. Each links to its source page.