Forget the new F1 cars for a moment — this weekend at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, IndyCar served up one of those moments that reminds you why motorsport is absolutely mad, and why we love it.
Scott McLaughlin suffered a terrifying crash during second practice. His Team Penske Chevrolet snapped at Turn 1 after the right rear dropped onto the grass, the car whipping round at approximately 150mph before skating backwards across the run-off, bouncing through the gravel, clipping the top of the tyre barrier, and punching clean through the catch fence — half the car ending up in the bushes on the other side.
The safety crew was there in seconds. McLaughlin climbed out. He was fine.
And then — brilliantly — here's what he said: "I think the crash looked a lot worse than it felt. I'm gutted for my guys, but I had a look at the car — honestly I feel like we can get this thing fixed and I can go ship it again. I just want to go out and go for pole."
Just get in the car and get going! Team Penske built him a backup car, he qualified, and away he went.
The sport is dangerous. The safety is extraordinary. And McLaughlin — a two-time Barber winner himself — summed up exactly why drivers are a different breed: the crash is already filed away. Next question.
Get well soon to the catch fence. The car, the driver, and the attitude are all absolutely fine.