Birgit Wetzinger: Things To Know About Niki Lauda’s Wife

Birgit Wetzinger is an Austrian art gallery owner who is better known as the wife of the late, Niki Lauda, a Formula 1 driver and aviation businessman. Wetzinger and Lauda were together from the late 2000s until Niki’s death in 2019. Birgit’s now deceased partner, Lauda was a three-time F1 Grand Prix winner, in 1975, 1977, and 1984.

People often admire Birgit for staying with Niki through thick and thin from the time when the late Grand Prix racer was among the hot names to his life after the near-death accident in 1976.

Get an extended look into her life more or less before the point where she entered into the life of Niki Lauda, their togetherness, the latter moments when they were husband and wife, Wetzinger’s life after Lauda’s death, and further.

What Internet Knows About Birgit Wetzinger Early Life?  

Wetzinger allegedly is a native of Vienna who was born in March 1979. The rest, in terms of her early life, however, have somewhat been matters always behind the scenes.

Unlike her stories with her late husband and the thereupons, Wetzinger’s prior wikis are anything but roundly discussed.

What otherwise has been true so far is Birgit who is now 42 years old used to be a flight attendant during the time she met her future husband in the mid-2000s. In fact, she, at the time worked for Niki’s airline company, Lauda Air.

Birgit Wetzinger And Niki Lauda Had Age Difference Of 30 Years 

When they met in 2004, Witzenger had just turned 29 while the Zurich-born racer was already 59. Unlike the 2013 film, Rush Niki didn’t meet Birgit when she was hitchhiking.

They instead encountered each other at a party after which, Nikki once said, he fell in love with her. Lauda though did drive her somewhere soon after their first meeting.

They met at a party. Birgit didn’t recognize who Niki was. She apparently thought he was a tennis player. Birgit was then working as a flight attendant for Lauda’s airline company.

Lauda had launched his airline in 1985 soon after retiring from racing for a second time. The airline though stopped its operations in April 2013.

The 1975 F1 World Drivers’ Champion in an interview revealed he connected with Birgit right away because of her boots. He stated it was the first thing that made him interested in her.

Nikki said he didn’t know Wetzinger was working for his company.

Their Wedding

Niki proposed to Wetzinger in Ibizia in a pizzeria two months before the wedding. They tied the knot in front of close family and friends at the Vienna Wahring registry office on August 25, 2008, at half-past three in the afternoon.

The businessman/four-wheeler veteran did wear a red cap and jeans on his big day. The witnesses include Niki’s longtime lawyer and friend Haig Asenbauer, and some family and friends.

After the wedding, the pair flew to the Balearic island of Ibiza for a week. In fact, the former couple still has a house there. Their wedding allegedly lasted for only seven minutes.

Wetzinger Shared Two Children With Her Late Husband Lauda

When together, Niki and Birgit welcomed two children of their own, Mia and Max.

They had their twins in Sep 2009. In addition to twins from Birgit, Niki was also father to Mathias and Lukas from his first marriage and a son, Christoph from his third relationship.

Lauda had Mathias and Lukas with his first wife, Marlene Knaus. Marlene and Niki divorced in 1991 after 25 years of marriage. On the other hand, the 177 entries racer had his son, Christoph through an affair he had when he was still the husband of Marlene. Apparently, Birgit is also friends with Niki’s ex-wife, Marlene.

Wetzinger Donated Her Kidney To Niki Lauda 

In 2005, less than a year after they started dating, Birgit’s then-boyfriend, Lauda went on to suffer kidney failure and needed a replacement. While Lauda asked his son Lucas from his ex-wife, Marlene to test his kidney, it didn’t match.

Later, Birgit asked to test her tissue to see if she could be a potential donor.

Lauda denied but Wetzinger insisted for about three months and eventually she would give her kidney to the ex-BMW M1 Procar Championship winner. Afterward, the operation was successful and three years later they would marry each other.

Niki’s kidney problem was the long-term aftereffect of his 1976 German Grand Prix, Nurburgring accident where he suffered severe burns to his head in addition to burning the lungs. Consequently, he then had to undergo two kidney transplants. Further, he also had a lung transplant in the summer of 2018.

Birgit Wetzinger’s Spouse’s Death

Birgit’s racer-husband, Niki Lauda died at the age of 70 on 20th May 2019.

He passed away at the University Hospital of Zurich. Prior to his death, Birgit’s partner, Lauda had been undergoing dialysis treatment for kidney problems. He had checked into the hospital following a period of ill health.

Birgit Wetzinger On Her Husband, Niki Lauda’s Passing

Birgit didn’t comment on her husband’s passing for about a year.

Then in an interview with the Australian radio station O3, Wetzinger said she couldn’t put into words how much she and her children miss Niki. She stated while the pain from losing the 1972 British Formula Two winner, Niki will always be present, her family wasn’t just giving up.

She reported she and her kids were slowly trying to get out of the cloud of sadness.

Wetzinger also said she and her family were seeking psychological help to cope with the loss of the 1984 F1 Champion.

Of that, she stated,

“We are trying to become resilient to this situation and come out of it stronger.”

Wetzinger Has A New Partner 

Wetzinger is currently dating Marcus Sieberer, a financial expert and lawyer. They apparently have been dating since early to mid-2021.

Sieberer also has two children from his previous relationship. Birgit and her current partner, Sieberer reportedly met through mutual friends in Ibiza. Revealing her relationship with Marcus in late 2021 with the radio station O3, Wetzinger said she and her new boyfriend also has the blessing of her late husband.

What Does Birgit Wetzinger Do Now? 

The late McLaren/Ferrari racer, Niki’s wife, Birgit now reportedly owns an art gallery in Vienna. Birgit now is the founder of Birgit Lauda Art Foundation, a nonprofit organization.

Her store, which she launched in 2017, is an international art gallery that focuses mostly on contemporary art based in Vienna. She is also the winner of 4future Awards 2018.

Wetzinger says through her foundation she wants to support young emerging as well as international artists. She also wants to provide a platform and create an art space at the same time.

Birgit describes herself as a passionate art lover. She also studied art history in Vienna. The wife of the late F1 driver is also a fan of Otto Zitko and Scheibl. In Aug 2018, Wetzinger during an interview with Vienna Contemporary said it was her old fascination with architecture that brought her closer to the arts.

When living with her late husband, Niki in Ibiza, the couple used to analyze several architectural projects.

She Promotes Her Art Gallery Over Instagram And Others 

Much as Birgit is yet to be sighted having her own anonym on locales namely Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, it is presumed she has been overseeing the Insta handle of her art foundation since mid-2021.

Even though a few posts, Wetzinger’s Instagram feeds mostly include pictures of her art gallery and what is going on with respect to it in the meantime. Birgit, nevertheless, hasn’t let out what her off-the-work usuals look like in such communities.

How Much Did Birgit Inherit From Her Husband’s Wealth; What Is Her Net Worth Now? 

Wetzinger was part of the beneficiary of the late Niki Lauda’s fortune and estate. For starters, Birgit apparently still has an access to Lauda’s around six-million-dollar property in Ibiza.

While the specifics of Lauda’s will is yet to be laid bare in the open, some insiders claim, Wetzinger, too is one of the inheritors of Lauda’s multimillion-dollar net worth in addition to his real estate, stocks, and even a yacht.

Birgit is very likely to be a rich woman on her own since she is also the owner of an art gallery in Vienna. Although it might a while before the outsiders know precisely how much she gained from her late spouse’s wealth, it seems presumptive that Wetzinger’s net worth could positively be in the ballpark of seven or even eight figures.

Other Facts

• Birgit’s late husband, Niki Lauda was also friends and had rivalries with fellow British Formula One Champion, James Hunt.