Marlene Knaus bio: All you need to know about the personal life of Niki Laudas ex-wife
Discover key facts about Marlene Knaus, the former model who gained widespread attention as the ex-wife of famous Austrian Formula 1 racer Niki Lauda. Her public profile rose significantly when she began dating the three-time F1 World Champion. Here is the Marlene Knaus bio.
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Key takeaways
- Marlene Knaus rose to prominence after she married Niki Lauda. She is one of the celebrities who prefer to keep things under wraps and has not revealed much of her personal info to the public.
- Before meeting the Austrian Formula 1 driver, Marlene had dated Curd Jürgens, a famous German-Austrian stage and film actor.
- She is blessed with two sons: Mathias Lauda, who followed in his dad's footsteps to become a racing driver, and Lukas Lauda.
Marlene Knaus profile summary
| Real name | Marlene Knaus |
| Date of birth | 1956 |
| Age | 69 years |
| Place of birth | United States |
| Current residence | Ibiza |
| Nationality | American, Austrian |
| Ehnicity | Venezuelan |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Relationship status | Divorced |
| Children | 2 (Mathias and Lukas) |
Marlene Knaus bio
Marlene Knaus is the ex-wife of former Formula 1 racer Niki Lauda. Below is every detail you need to know about the life of Niki Lauda's ex-wife, including her age, marriage, children, divorce, and many other exciting things.
Marlene Knaus' age
Details about Marlene Knaus' exact date of birth are unknown, but it is believed that she was born in 1956. Therefore, her age is 69 years as of 2025. The beauty is of Venezuelan ethnicity, born in the United States of America.
Source: Original
Marlene Knaus' relationships
Before meeting the Austrian Formula 1 driver, Marlene had dated Curd Jürgens, who was a famous German-Austrian stage and film actor. The former model and Nikolaus Lauda met for the first time at a dinner party held by Curd.
After around 8 years of romantic getaways and precious moments, the couple tied the knot in 1976. They lived happily together. At one time, Niki was involved in a serious accident that left scars on his face. Many thought Marlene would leave him, but instead, she supported him even more.
Marlene Knaus and Niki Lauda's Children
They are blessed with two sons: Mathias Lauda, who followed in his dad's footsteps to become a racing driver, and Lukas Lauda. Lukas is his brother's manager.
Marlene Knaus' movies
The movie Rush is focused on the rivalry between Niki Lauda and British race driver James Hunt. In the film, Chris Hemsworth portrays Hunt, and Daniel Brühl stars as Lauda.
Marlene's character was portrayed by Romanian-German actress Alexandra Maria Lara. Therefore, Marlene Knaus and James Hunt's relationship is depicted in Rush.
Is Marlene Knaus alive?
Marlene Knaus' 2020 rumours about her death are not real. The former model is alive, and the controversy surrounding her being alive or dead can be attributed to the passing of her ex-husband, Niki Lauda, a three-time Formula One champion. The renowned racer died on May 20, 2019, and was laid to rest a few days later.
Marlene Knaus' net worth
There is no verifiable information regarding Marlene's net worth. However, her ex-husband, Lauda, had a sizeable net worth of around $200 million at the time of his death, putting him among the wealthiest F1 racers.
According to The Sun, Lauda reportedly set a significant sum for his first wife, Marlene and their two sons, Lukas and Mathias, as part of his will. Marlene is also believed to be staying in a house in Ibiza that Niki had left for her.
Marlene Knaus' divorce
Just like many other families that have differences, theirs was not an exception. Their marriage did not last long, contrary to their expectations. In 1991, they filed for a divorce, and that was the end of their happy union. The actual reason for their divorce is not yet known.
After the divorce, Niki Lauda married Birgit Wetzinger, a flight attendant on his airline, in 2008. They had twins, a girl named Mia and a boy named Max. On the other hand, Marlene did not remarry or date anyone. She opted to remain single.
Life-after
Following the divorce, Marlene disappeared from the media and started to live her life in silence. While she was never the one to give interviews and talk to the media, she took her privacy to another level after the divorce.
According to Marlene Knaus' bio, the former model serves as an inspiration to other young and upcoming models. She was also known for her signature loose hairdo, which suited her perfectly.
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Bennett Yates (Lifestyle writer) Bennett Yates is a content creator with over six years of working experience in journalism and copywriting. He graduated from the University of Nairobi (2017) with a Bachelor's in Information Technology. In 2023, Bennett finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. He has worked for Briefly.co.za for six years now. He specializes in topics like technology, entertainment, travel, lifestyle and sports. You can reach him via email at bennetyates@gmail.com.
Justin Williams (Editorial Assistant) Justin Williams is a multimedia journalist who recently completed his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Film & Multimedia Production and English Literary Studies from the University of Cape Town. He is a former writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa: South African chapter. You can contact Justin at justin.williams@briefly.co.za
