Lauda had less than week to live if not for lung transplant

Niki Lauda got a lung transplant last week and was in critical condition, and reports have now come out stating that he wouldn't have survived if it wasn't for that transplant.

Lauda got the flu on his holiday on Ibiza but his condition soon spiralled into severe pneumonia. He was immediately flown to Vienna, Austria for intensive treatment. Wednesday, a lung donor was found for him in Germany, and he was operated on successfully. Thanks to the fantastic medical team, Lauda is now recovering from it all.

Austrian news source OE24 asked Lauda's doctor Walter Klepetko about the situation. He revealed that the Austrian probably would've had about three to seven days to live if he wouldn't have been operated on. During the operation, the three-time champion was fitted with a heart-lung pump to keep him alive.

The operation, which lasted six hours, was performed by six specialists. Lauda has now been awakened from his artificial coma and has been removed from the intensive care department, but he'll have a very tough recovery road ahead of him, especially given his age.

He'll be in the hospital for at least four more weeks while more tests are run on him, and to see if his new lung won't get rejected by his body. Klepetko also revealed that Lauda has to swallow about fifty pills a day.

All in all, a fantastic job by Klepetko and his team to essentially save Lauda's life. Let's hope he has a speedy recovery!