Unlicensed 19-Year Old Crashes McLaren 720S, Flees on Foot

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Footage from Canada shows McLaren 720S does require some driving skill.

This past weekend, a video surfaced online on the YouTube account of Amir showing a McLaren 720S tearing away from the camera, losing control and crashing into a parked Audi R8. The details are sketchy as this has quickly become one of those internet legends that everyone discusses without any real background, but based on what we have read online, this video is beginning to make some sense.

The Initial Story

As you can see in the video above, a new McLaren 720S is (poorly) filmed roaring away from the camera before spinning into cars parked on the other side of the street. The initial internet chatter suggested that the driver of the car was a 19-year old Chinese national living in Canada, who borrowed his sister’s new McLaren for a quick spin.

2018 McLaren 720S in white

While on that joyride, the unlicensed driver came to a stop on a public road and attempted a hard launch, reportedly with the car’s advanced launch control system. As the car built speed, the back wheels began to spin, at which point the rear end kicked out, sending the car into a quick spin. The driver couldn’t save it and he slammed into a red Audi R8 parked on the other side of the road.

At the point, the video ends, but internet chatter insists that the driver jumped out and took off on foot, with the owner of the car arriving a short time later in her Lamborghini to claim responsibility for the action.

A Closer Look

In watching the video, it appears as though launch control was not used, as it has a distinct sound that this McLaren did not make before tearing down the street. With that in mind, it seems that the crappy driver simply brought the engine RPM up and let it rip. At higher speed, the power of the 720S overcome the grip of the rear tires, the skins began to smoke and around came the rear end – sending it hard into the Audi.

What we know for sure is that this video shows that the McLaren 720S does take some skill to drive fast, especially on a dusty city street.

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"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com


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