THE gravity of Niki Lauda’s condition prior to lung transplant surgery has been revealed as the F1 icon continues to recover in intensive care.

The 69-year-old woke up from a medically-induced coma on Saturday, two days after undergoing lifesaving surgery at AKH Vienna hospital.

Lauda had been on holiday in Ibiza in mid-July when he fell ill, flying to the Austrian hospital for treatment.

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However, his condition deteriorated into a severe pneumonia. Lauda had to be connected to a heart-lung machine to supply his blood with the oxygen his failing organs could not provide.

“The doctors decided that only a lung transplant can save the life of the Austrian national hero,” reported OE24.

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The situation was urgent; doctors determined that Lauda would only survive for “three to seven” days without a transplant.

A donor was found in Hamburg, Germany on Wednesday evening — coincidentally, 42 years to the day since Lauda’s fiery crash in the 1976 German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring — and flown to Vienna.

Lauda went under the knife on Thursday, a team of 10 specialists spending six hours performing the transplant surgery.

Professor Walter Klepetko, AKH’s head of thoracic surgery and the lead surgeon in Lauda’s operation, said they are “very satisfied” with Lauda’s condition.

“He will be the old man again, he will be able to fly again, even work as before,” he told OE24.

Although Lauda’s Nurburgring crash left him with severe burns and damaged lungs from inhaling toxic fumes and flames, Professor Klepetko said it was not a reason for his current condition.

“One can absolutely assume that lung transplantation is not a late consequence of the fire accident,” he told ORF.

Klepeteko said Lauda will now face at least four more weeks in hospital, but could potentially be trackside in the Formula 1 paddock again by early October.

Lewis Hamilton, Lauda and Toto Wolff at Albert Park in 2016. Source: Supplied

“Although we should enjoy the start of our summer holidays this evening, none of us at Mercedes will pretend that we feel happy — our thoughts are rather with Niki, Birgit and the Lauda family,” a message from Mercedes F1 team boss Toto Wolff.

“The world knows Niki as an F1 legend with incredible power and resilience. For all of us at Mercedes he is our chairman, our mentor and our friend. We have missed him by our side in Hockenheim and Hungary, and can’t wait to have him back with us.

“The recovery he faces is not a race. But I’m sure he will soon be telling every nurse and doctor that he has had enough of hospital.

“We wish him a safe and speedy recovery — in that order — and send all our positive energy to him and his family. I miss you my friend.”