Niki Lauda recovering after undergoing lung transplant operation

Three-time world champion Niki Lauda is recovering after undergoing a "successful" lung transplant operation. The Austrian has been absent from the paddock in the last number of races, and it has now been revealed that the 69-year-old underwent a serious operation.

It was initially believed that Lauda was suffering from a bad cough, before later reports claimed that he had severe flu. However, the Vienna General Hospital released a statement stating that Lauda has had a lung transplant.

The statement read: "Due to a severe affection of the lungs, Niki Lauda had to undergo a lung transplantation at the AKH Vienna today. The transplantation was done successfully by Walter Klepetko, head of thoracic surgery, and Konrad Hotzenecker. We kindly ask for your understanding that the family won’t give any official statements and we ask to protect the privacy of the Lauda family."

Lauda currently helps operate proceedings at Mercedes, holding the role of non-executive chairman. He won his first world championship in 1975, before being badly burned at a race at the Nurburgring Nordschleife one year later. He returned later that year and went on to win the championships of 1977 and 1984.