By anyone’s standards, the 616-horsepower McLaren MP4-12C (and soon, the MP4-12C Spider) is a fast car. Thanks to its advanced electronic stability control system, it’s also a very safe car, even in the hands of drivers unfamiliar with the car.

Despite this, the car is still governed by the laws of physics. Exceed the amount of grip available between tires and road, and bad things potentially happen; at speed, they happen very, very quickly.

GT Spirit reports that this McLaren from a German dealership was on a test drive when the driver lost control of the car and hit a tree. Both occupants sustained injury, but were able to exit the vehicle before it was consumed by fire. Injuries to driver and passenger were reportedly not life-threatening, although we’ll bet that memories of the crash stick with them for a while.

We don’t know the particular details of this accident (like whether or not the stability control had been deactivated), but it serves as a good reminder for all of us: when you’re driving on public roads, it’s always wise to leave a little bit in reserve. If you want to test the limits of yourself or a vehicle, do it on a race track.