Legendary Formula 1 racer Niki Lauda has died ... according to his family.
Lauda, considered one of F1's greatest drivers ever, died Monday ... nine months after undergoing surgery for a lung transplant.
Niki won the F1 drivers' championship in 1975 and '77 with Ferrari and again in '84 with McLaren ... but he's most famous for crashing and catching fire in 1976 at the German Grand Prix.
Lauda was badly burned in the crash, but he made a miraculous recovery an returned to racing only 6 weeks later.
Lauda's incredibly comeback after dodging death instantly made him the stuff of legend .