He is the F1 driver who once survived an 111G crash at Spa but never scored a point

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Safety in Formula 1 has improved a great deal over the last 50 years, and many lives have been saved as a result of a huge effort to improve provisions at race circuits around the world.

The FIA’s push to make motorsport a safer place knows no bounds, and it’s for this reason that many drivers have been able to avoid career-ending injuries or worse.

Recently, we saw Romain Grosjean walk out of a fire in what turned out to be his last-ever Formula 1 race, saved by the halo, which created an opening in the barrier he hit.

In the early 2000s, cars had changed a great deal compared to the years prior, with a longer wheelbase and lower centre of gravity.

In 1999, Michael Schumacher suffered two broken legs at the British Grand Prix when he hit a tyre barrier, but it could have been a lot worse. It derailed his title bid, but might have saved his career.

Just two years later, another driver suffered a massive shunt into a tyre barrier, but managed to walk away from the incident that could have been a lot worse.

READ MORE: He was Michael Schumacher’s first F1 teammate and holds the record for most consecutive Grand Prix retirements

Luciano Burti suffered a 111g crash at the 2001 Belgian Grand Prix and never scored a point

The Belgian Grand Prix never fails to throw up a surprise, and there have been some mega accidents there through the years.

In 1998, the entire race was red-flagged after one corner, following a big pile-up at the start of the race in treacherous wet conditions.

Three years later, Prost’s Luciano Burti collided with ex-Jaguar teammate Eddie Irvine, which sent him spearing into the barrier at high speed. The impact was recorded at 111g.

“Spa was a huge crash when I crashed into the wall it was 270km/h, I had no brakes so I went straight to the wall and it was 111G on impact, which is a number I never heard before,” he told Autosport in 2019.

The weekend would mark the Brazilian driver’s last Formula 1 event, but his results weren’t as bad as they might seem on the outside.

In 15 races, he suffered five retirements, but never finished lower than 12th. His best finish was eighth, which would have been good enough for points under the current rules.

READ MORE: He is the youngest driver ever to retire from racing in Formula 1 and once cost Michael Schumacher a world championship

What happened to Luciano Burti after 2001?

But, sadly, he was never given another opportunity to drive again. He was forced to sit out of the remainder of the season with bruising and a concussion.

Burti signed for Ferrari as a test driver between 2002 and 2004 and upon the conclusion of his contract, he returned to Brazil to compete in the Stock Car Brasil series, which he did right up until 2018.

He also commentates on Formula 1 races in Brazil for TV Globo, using his experiences across a brief, but chaotic career.

It’s a great shame for him, considering his impressive pace, it looks as though getting a crack with a top team could have yielded some solid results.