Racing is an exciting sport! If you have had to watch F1(formula one) drivers pumped with adrenaline from start to finish, you would agree it is an exhilarating sight for the onlooker. However, it's as dangerous as it entertains. Although it has a high safety record, some drivers like Ayrton Senna in 1994 have had to lose their lives in the process.
In this article, we compiled a list of F1 drivers who were fortunate to survive a horrific crash on the track;
1. Allan McNish
F1 driver Allan McNish crashed his car into the 2002 Suzuka with so much force that the barrier was hit backward, leaving a huge dent. Because he was running at a speed of 200mph, it was impossible to stop the car just before it crashed.
Although McNish's crash was recorded as one of the toughest in history, he luckily came out unscathed, probably due to the durability of the car that had protected him from it.
2. Romain Grosjean
Any fan of Romain Grosjean would agree that the French racer is quite reckless behind the wheel, and this has caused him or other drivers to crash many times.
A notable crash in the F1 race would be at the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix, where he hit another driver, Lewis Hamilton, which led to a collision that would have cost Fernando Alonso his head, but surprisingly, the three survived.
3. Martin Brundle
Despite being a famous F1 racer associated with many BBC live races, Martin Brundle has also had his fair share of horrific crashes, and the incident at the Australian Grand Prix in 1996 might make you wonder just how unbothered F1 drivers are with their safety.
Brundle had barely recovered from the impact of the crashed Jordan he drove when he ran back to the pits for a restart using another car which he crashed again in the first lap.
4. Mark Webber
Mark Webber's accident is a horrifying reminder of how dangerous the sport could get despite high safety rates in recent times. The F1 driver had collided with Kovalainen's Lotus and was immediately launched into the air at an altitude so high he destroyed an advertising hoarding before he finally landed in a back flip.
Although the in-car view was a gross sight, it was relieving to see Webber unharmed and still able to continue the race after the car regained control of itself.
5. Nika Lauda
Nika Lauda's story is quite a peculiar one because even tho he didn't die from the havoc of the crash, he lost an ear and had severe burn injuries
Many people still believe the accident might have been avoided if Lauda's fellow drivers had not insisted on racing in the dangerous Nürburgring circuit that had caused up to 131 crashes. Although the accident was mostly facilitated by poor weather conditions that warranted a stopover to change his tires, Lauda attempted to race to make up for the delay until he lost control of his car immediately after.
The car exploded and left no hopes of survival for the driver but Nika Lauda thankfully came out alive.
6. Jarno Trulli
The Bridge Corner at the Silverstone is known for its high-impact crash, and F1 driver Jarno Trulli's accident at the British Grand Prix of 2004 is no different.
The car swerved off the track and slammed into the tire barrier at the Priory's outer edge with tremendous force, causing it to spin out of control. The vehicle flipped over and suffered severe damage, but thankfully Trulli emerged from the incident unharmed.
Crashes have been reduced to the barest minimum in modern races due to the brilliant innovations in racing cars, but some have had to lose their lives playing their dearly loved game in past times. We can only hope that more attention will be given to ensure smooth and danger-free Formula One races in the future.