There are many good reasons to not crash a McLaren. There is the cost, of course, but also the sinking feeling knowing that your local highway patrol is about to air you out on Twitter.
That’s exactly what happened to this unwise and unfortunate McLaren driver in California, who the California Highway Patrol claims was racing a Lamborghini on 101:
When you rent a McLaren 570 ???? & decide to race a Lamborghini ???? on the US-101 & crash ! Next time you should consider getting the rental insurance ! Luckily no one was seriously injured. pic.twitter.com/lJ5IO3Adub
— CHP Central LA (@CHPCentralLA) February 22, 2021
As local CBS2 reports, the CHP said that nobody was seriously hurt in the crash, which is a testament to the car’s carbon-fibre safety cell. This is seriously strong construction, and it’s the same kind of construction we entrust with keeping racing drivers safe. Of course it’s also fair to say that this driver wouldn’t have needed the protection of a carbon-fibre safety cell if the McLaren in question wasn’t also deliriously fast and remarkably good at convincing you that you’re a better driver than you are.
I remember clearly my heart climbing into my throat as I spun toward the infield wall at Eldora in a borrowed McLaren 570S. The car’s various levels of electronic controls had me feeling like a hero, catching little slides around the oval track. And then, as I got too greedy with the gas pedal, I realised that had all been a facade. I had more power, more machine than I could ever dream of controlling, and I was glad I had the room on the wide dirt banking to stop before the wall.
But hey, people crash every kind of car under the sun. You can’t really blame McLaren, can you?