Marlene Knaus Is Niki Lauda's Ex-wife Who Shares 2 Sons with the Late Formula 1 Icon

Marlene Knaus, the first wife of the late Austrian racing legend Niki Lauda, now leads a private life. But before Niki's death, he spoke about her being a supportive wife despite the danger of his racing career.

In the 1970s, Niki Lauda earned acclaim as a prominent racer, and his then-wife Marlene Knaus shared the spotlight with him. Marlene was supportive, which she most memorably showed when Niki had a serious accident while racing.

Their marriage eventually ended, but it lasted for 16 years, and within that time, they welcomed two children who would also later become involved in the world of auto racing.

Marlene Was Married to Niki for over a Decade

Marlene was the first wife of the late Formula 1 driver Niki Lauda. Niki was a prominent auto-racer in the 1970s, born in Vienna to a family known for business and banking.

Marlene and the former athlete's love story began at a party hosted by Marlene in Salzburg. At the time of meeting her future husband, Marlene was dating actor Curt Jurgens.

Curt and Marlene were pictured together a few times, including at a wedding in Hamburg in 1975 and the actor's chalet in Switzerland in 1974. However, the pair's relationship did not work out.

Marlene and Niki tied the knot in 1976, within a few months after first meeting. They welcomed two children, Mathias and Lukas before their marriage ended in divorce in 1991.

The pair's marriage was brought to life in the 2013 film "Rush," with actress Alexandra Maria Lara playing the role of Marlene.

Marlene Supported Her Then-Husband Career despite Hating It

Niki had positive things to say about Marlene, his ex-wife. Despite not liking his racing career, she looked after him during his racing days, even after they separated. He remarked in a 2017 interview:

"She was a fantastic woman in these difficult situations for her to still support me a hundred percent."

Marlene's disapproval of her ex-spouse's career stemmed from the dangers of the sport. Niki had an accident during the German Grand Prix due to poor weather, causing the racecourse to become slippery, which resulted in his hospitalization.

He survived the accident and returned triumphantly to racing just six weeks later at the Grand Prix in Italy, joined by Marlene. She supported him at the Dutch Grand Prix in 1977.

The pair's marriage was brought to life in the 2013 film "Rush," with actress Alexandra Maria Lara playing the role of Marlene. Lara spoke about Marlene's dedication to her racer ex-husband despite his risky profession.

Alexandra also shared that Marlene continued to be friends with Niki after their divorce, even calling them "soulmates." Actor Daniel Brühl played Niki in the film. Their other co-stars were Chris Hemsworth, Olivia Wilde, and Natalia Dormer.

Marlene Knaus' Two Sons Are Involved in Auto Racing

Marlene's ex-husband revealed in his memoir that they had lost a baby at the time of the Monaco Grand Prix. Despite this tragedy, they have raised two sons, Mathias and Lukas, who have excelled in their respective careers.

Mathias has continued his father's legacy in auto racing. He is an auto racer and won the 2017 FIA World Endurance GT AM Championship. Currently, Mathias races for Aston Martin Racing as a factory driver in the Championship.

Meanwhile, Lukas has taken on a managerial role, overseeing Lauda Sport Management. Based in Barcelona, the company has noteworthy partnerships with Mathias and Team Scuderia Coloni.

In 2019, the racing legend passed away at the age of 70 after undergoing a lung transplant. As for Marlene, she has been leading a private life and does not have any public social media profiles.