Driver captures death defying airborne crash

Germany's fabled Nurburgring race track is where drivers test their mettle and where Formula 1 deems too dangerous compete.

And one look at this spectacular crash involving an amatuer driver shows exactly why the high speed course is both revered and feared.

Flying around the track, known as "Green Hell", an amatuer motorist has captured the moment another speed demon lost control and flipped his Renault as he pushed the envelope too far.

The Renault came unstuck after edging onto the grass as it overtook the camera car before slamming sideways into the safety fence.

In a split, second the car was catapulted into the air, cartwheeling nose first before landing on its roof and rolling at least six times.

The hatchback eventually finished back on its wheels before the driver remarkably climbed from the wreckage.

And while he appeared to have escaped serious injury he was no doubt battered, bruised and mighty relieved.

The 22.8km-long Nurburgring track was the site of F1 great Niki Lauda's near fatal crash during the German Grand Prix in 1976.