£1m Ferrari LaFerrari crashes in Budapest
There's no such thing as a foolproof hypercar
THE DRIVER of a Ferrari LaFerrari learnt just how difficult it can be to control the 950bhp supercar when, driving at low speed in heavy traffic in Budapest last weekend, he lost control of the £1m hybrid hypercar and crashed.
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In a video recorded from a following car, you can see the Ferrari moving along a busy street, keeping its distance from other traffic. However, after passing over a pedestrian crossing, the driver seems to decide to explore his LaFerrari’s potential and accelerates smartly away, changing lanes and overtaking a slower vehicle.
As he draws level with the car, the Ferrari driver accelerates harder still, at which point, apparently taken unawares by the surge of power, he loses control of the car. Even the world’s most hi-tech safety systems cannot stop the LaFerrari swerving hard to the right and careering towards parked cars, striking one of them before coming to rest on the pavement.
Nobody was hurt in the accident, but photographs taken later at the scene showed the car had been badly damaged. Its nearside front wing was destroyed, revealing mangled suspension components beneath.
However, it seemed that uppermost in the driver’s mind was not the expensive repair bill but concerns about being identified. Within moments of the crash he reportedly jumped out of the car and removed its numberplates.
Ferrari told Driving that any accident involving one of its cars was a private matter for the driver, the police and insurance companies.
Saturday’s crash was not the first to involve a LaFerrari. Although only 499 of the £1m hypercars will be made, drivers appear intent on reducing their number. In 2014 a LaFerrari was crashed in Monaco, and earlier this year the same fate befell one in China and another in France.
Read James May’s review of the Ferrari LaFerrari
