JANUARY 8, 2019

Hospital says Lauda may be released next week

Niki Lauda is scheduled to be released from hospital next week.

Niki Lauda is scheduled to be released from hospital next week.

It's a shot of good news after the Mercedes team chairman was re-admitted to intensive care in a Vienna hospital shortly after New Year, having contracted influenza A.

The 69-year-old F1 legend had been holidaying in Ibiza following his long recovery from a life-saving lung transplant operation last year.

"There was an influenza case in his family, and he is treated in an intensive care unit with us," a spokeswoman for the AKH hospital in Vienna confirmed.

Osterreich newspaper said Lauda should be able to leave hospital "in three to four days".

This has now been confirmed.

The AKH spokeswoman told us: "His release is planned in the course of next week."

(GMM)