How amazing engineering enabled a quadriplegic former IndyCar driver to compete once more is "it's unbelievable,"

 From the outside, this appears to be a typical practice session as racing driver Sam Schmidt races around the storied Goodwood Racetrack in a McLaren 720S, achieving speeds of more than 150 mph.

Even as the skies open and the asphalt becomes slick and slippery, he glides through the narrow turns with ease. But as soon as you get behind the wheel, it becomes abundantly clear how exceptional this track session is.

Schmidt cannot operate a steering wheel or pedals since he is a quadriplegic and totally paralyzed below the neck.

Instead, McLaren and American electronics giant Arrow collaborated to create the Semi-Autonomous Mobility (SAM) Car, which enables the former IndyCar driver to stop and accelerate by sucking and blowing into a tube (referred to as the "sip and puff" feature), and to steer by twisting his head.

Schmidt never anticipated experiencing the rush of racing again following his catastrophic injury in 2000.

In order to complete the majority of my everyday activities for 22 years, Schmidt tells CNN Sport at Goodwood, UK. I thought, "I'm genuinely controlling 100% of these functions," when I initially started the car.

"Emotional roller coaster"

Schmidt considers it "good" that he doesn't recall many details of the catastrophe that upended his world.

He lost control of the vehicle on what should have been a regular practice lap during a testing session in Florida before to the 2000 Indy Racing League season, crashing into a concrete barrier at a speed of about 180 mph.

Schmidt and his squad had high expectations for that season; in fact, Schmidt had sincere goals of winning the championship, but the season that followed would be considerably different from the one he had imagined earlier that day.

Prior to being released to start his new life at home, Schmidt underwent a demanding rehabilitation program at a hospital for six months, frequently working more than five hours per day.

"Many people ask, 'How did you get through it?' Because of their lives and aspirations, the family members are sometimes more affected than I am, according to Schmidt. "I mean, winning the Indianapolis 500 was never my family's top priority in life. That was my fantasy, and as a result, I unintentionally interfered with their intentions.

It's such an emotional roller coaster. With all this optimism and anticipation for the 2000 season, this is really just a picture of perfection. However, I have a six-month-old and a two-and-a-half-year-old.

"My lovely wife and I just won my first IndyCar race, so everything is good. Just a lot of good things happening, and suddenly everything is turned around.