Lauda: Burti was lucky.

Jaguar Formula One boss Niki Lauda has added his voice to claims that Luciano Burti would not have survived his Belgian Grand Prix crash in earlier seasons.

The Austrian, who survived his own horrific shunt - at the Nurburgring in 1976 - and came back to win two further world titles, believes that the improvement in car design and safety measures certainly allowed Burti, a former Jaguar employee, to escape the Spa incident with little more than heavy bruising.

"If anything, the accident reinforced my belief that we are moving in the right direction as regards safety in Formula One," Lauda said, "Had his accident happened in my racing time, he would certainly not have survived - the impact was massive by any standards and went some way towards highlighting the safety standards we boast in our business."

Eddie Irvine was also relieved to here of his former team-mate's recovery, although he still claims that it was a racing accident.

"I was quite shaken by the crash, because my own shunt wasn't particularly gentle," the Irishman said, "But we are both okay and that's the main thing; proof that cars and circuits are getting safer than ever before."

With the news that Burti was likely to miss this weekend's Italian Grand Prix, Lauda extended best wishes to the Brazilian, whom he hopes to see back in a cockpit before too long.

"Spa was a difficult weekend for everybody and, on behalf of all at Jaguar Racing, we wish Luciano a full and quick recovery after his horrific accident."