Formula 1 champion Niki Lauda marries his transplant hero girlfriend 21 years his junior

Formula 1 racing legend Niki Lauda has married the woman who saved his life in a wedding that lasted just four minutes.

The 59-year-old wed 29-year-old former stewardess Birgit Wetzinger after a four year romance.

Three years ago, Birgit donated one of her kidneys to Niki after a previous transplant failed.

Lifesaver: Niki Lauda married the woman who donated her kidney to save his life

The three-time F1 champion refused to give out details about the ceremony except to confirm that it 'lasted four minutes'.

Lauda was nearly killed in the German Grand Prix of 1976, when his car swerved off the track and burst into flames.



Trapped in the wreckage he suffered severe burns to his head and inhaled hot toxic gases. After lapsing into a coma he was given the last rites, but later recovered, and had extensive plastic surgery. But his kidney problems were unrelated to his injuries.



Lauda got divorced in 1991 after a 15-year marriage to wife Marlene.



Badly injured: Niki Lauda was lucky to survive the 1976 smash, but was left with dreadful injuries

Since then, he has always stressed in interviews that he would never marry again.

But recently he said: 'I love Birgit. To me, she is the perfect woman. I want to spend the rest of my life with her.



'Our relationship is doing perfectly well and I now did what every gentleman has to do.'

He added: 'I want to protect my private life and not carry it out in detail as Boris Becker does.'



After his life-saving operation Lauda said: 'She is a hero. To show affection to someone is one thing, but to donate an organ is something else entirely.

'It wasn't easy to take responsibility for Birgit's risk. For me it was more difficult than the operation.'



The marriage took place on August 25 but news only emerged this week.



Lauda said the couple did not go on honeymoon and has no plans to do so.











