McLaughlin’s shock absorber found on GC balcony

The force of Scott McLaughlin’s qualifying crash was such that a shock absorber from the Shell V-Power Racing Team Mustang was ejected onto a nearby balcony.

A heavy qualifying crash left McLaughlin and co-driver Alexandre Premat a scratching from Sunday’s leg of the Vodafone Gold Coast 600, with the car sustaining heavy damage as it impacted the wall on driver’s right at the exit of the opening chicane.

Such was the force of the crash, it pushed back the concrete wall, and plucked wheels out of the championship leader’s car, which skated on its passenger door towards Turn 4.

It also saw debris from the car jettisoned in the impact, with a shock absorber founding several stories up on the balcony of a nearby property.

Occupied at the time, nobody was injured by the component, which landed with such force that it damaged a table and tile on the balcony, which overlooked the scene of McLaughlin’s crash.

Following the incident, from which McLaughlin was able to climb free of, he was assessed and released by the circuit medical centre.

However, the New Zealander has subsequently been taken to hospital for observation after what has since been revealed as a 43G impact.

It’s the second high profile incident of the weekend, with Chaz Mostert also rubbed out after he found the wall during the Armor All Top 10 Shootout on Saturday.

The second leg of the Gold Coast 600 is scheduled for 102 laps beginning at 1500 local time/1600 AEDT.