Ex-racing driver dead since 2019
Niki Lauda’s lawyer reprimands his widow
Updated on November 8, 2025 – 2:50 p.mReading time: 3 minutes
Niki Lauda impressed in Formula 1 and also worked as an expert. There is a dispute about his inheritance. Now the dead ex-racing driver’s lawyer has come forward.
Niki Lauda remains an icon in Formula 1 even after his death. The three-time world champion (1975, 1977 and 1984) died in 2019. Since then there has been a dispute over the Austrian’s legacy. Now Lauda’s lawyer, Haig Asenbauer, has spoken about the situation for the first time. The 58-year-old friend of the former racing driver, who died, focuses primarily on the 48-year-old widow Birigit Lauda and criticizes her.
“I’ll call it a posthumous insult of honor that has been happening here for almost six years,” said Asenbauer, who added in an interview with “Bild”: “My main motivation is to correct things that actually violate Niki’s honor.”
What exactly is it about? Niki Lauda had two wives in his life. He was married to Marlene Knaus from 1976 to 1991 and has two sons with her. He has twins with his second wife Birgit, who is the subject of this article. According to Niki Lauda’s last will, both wives were said to have benefited, writes “Bild”.
A year after Lauda’s death, his second wife began to sue against the “inheritance and foundation regulations and the pension benefits intended for her,” according to “Bild”. Since then, the Viennese courts have been dealing with the case.
Although utilities are supposed to include two luxury houses, a fleet of vehicles, vacations, school fees and a five-figure sum of money per month, Birgit Lauda probably demanded the compulsory portion of the inheritance in court.
Asenbauer also told the newspaper: “Unfortunately, as foundation boards, we have to realize that, based on the lawsuits that Birgit Sieberer Lauda brought against the Lauda Private Foundation (PSL) and its subsidiary, the most absurd allegations are circulating about Niki Lauda, which he in no way deserves. Since Niki himself cannot say anything more about this, it is our job to clarify a few things.”
According to Asenbauer, there is an allegation that Birgit Lauda’s twins were “forgotten” in the inheritance. Niki Lauda’s lawyer now contradicted this: “In fact, Niki Lauda has ordered that Mia and Max should receive more of the foundation’s assets than all other family members.”
“On the other hand, we hear that Niki Lauda’s orders would be ‘unfair and not generous’. In fact, in the six years since Niki’s death, the PSL has already given over 30 million euros in cash and kind benefits to his family members,” continued Asenbauer. Half of this sum went to Birgit Lauda and her children.
However, the dispute is not over yet. Why? Asenbauer said about Birgit Lauda’s lawsuits: “In fact, both legal proceedings, one for 8.5 million euros and one for 22 million euros, have now been concluded in the first instance. In one, a judgment was issued in which Birgit’s lawsuit was dismissed in its entirety.” However, she appealed against the verdict. In the other case, the verdict is still awaited.
Asenbauer also told “Bild”: “What Birgit is doing is seriously damaging to her own children.” On paper, the lawsuits are against the foundation, but ultimately, according to “Bild”, they are against their own children, as amounts that would be withdrawn from the foundation would then no longer be available to them. According to “Bunte” and “Heute”, Birgit Lauda has married again.