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Ah, Formula 1. The pinnacle of motorsport. The pioneers of many a technological innovation and the scene of some of the most spectacular crashes in racing.
It's a bit of a wild statement to make, but it's true. Over the years, F1 saw its fair share of crashes and accidents. Some of these were so intense that you wondered whether or not the driver will walk away from it.
The earlier years of the sport were littered with crashes, while in the later years, especially post-1994, things took a turn for the better. Yes, cars would still be flying through the air when the opportunity presented itself, but the risk of death or severe injury was so much smaller.
Thank goodness for the advancements in safety, because F1 would surely have folded if the concerns for safety were not adhered to.
While there have been many, we look at three insane airborne crashes in F1 in the last 15 years.
Fernando Alonso. Image: Getty Images
Robert Kubica - Canadian GP, 2007
The 2007 Canadian is fondly remembered for two reasons: it's the scene of Lewis Hamilton's first victory in F1 and Kubica's massive crash.
Kubica, one of the hot prospects those years and potential to one day drive for Ferrari, was doing his utmost do register a strong result for his uncompetitive BMW team. The Polish driver was making good headway into the race until making contact with Jarno Trulli's Toyota.
READ: F1 Gold - How safety in the sport has changed since Senna's death in 1994
The contact was so damning that it broke the steering column on Kubica's BMW, making him a sitting duck as the car careened straight into the barriers. The shunt was gruesome, and Kubica could do nothing but sit in the cockpit and wait for the car to come to a standstill.
Kubica returned to the Canadian GP in 2008 and won it. Talk about perfect retribution.
Mark Webber - European GP, 2010
If there is one thing Mark Webber will be remembered for, it's that he played second fiddle to Sebastian Vettel during those successful Red Bull years. In 2010, Webber was a favourite to win the drivers' championship but failed to string his season together in such a way that it'll benefit him. One of those negatives was him driving into the back of Heikki Kovalainen's Lotus.
READ: F1 Gold - 'Multi-21, Seb' 2013's most brutal battle that almost tore a team apart
It all happened so fast! Webber was lining the Lotus driver up for an overtake and was gaining tremendous speed in Kovalainen's slipstream. Kovalainen was veering across the track, which influenced Webber's on-track reactions.
As luck would have it, the two drivers made contact, and Webber went flying into the air. What's even more insane was that Webber walked away from the wreckage as if it was nothing serious.
Fernando Alonso - Australian GP, 2016
In 2016, Alonso lined up for the Australian GP in a very uncompetitive McLaren. While Alonso was striving for maximum results at every race, his McLaren race car could not smoke the pipe, and it often left Alonso frustrated.
In the first race of the season, Alonso had the same approach and risked it all in a car that felt comfortable at the back of the grid. During the race, Alonso attempted a pass on Haas driver, Esteban Gutierrez. As Alonso readied for an overtake, his right front wheel clipped Gutierrez's left rear. It broke the McLaren's front section, sending Alonso into the barricade and barrel rolling to a standstill in the sandpit.
READ: F1 Gold - Remembering when Alonso broke down emotionally after winning the 2012 European GP
It wasn't a beautiful sight, but Alonso walked away with a few bruised ribs - which left him side-lined for a few races.
Oh, can you guess how much peak impact force Alonso experienced at 305km/h? 46G!
Who ever said F1 is a sport for the weak.
