'Phantom Ferrari' driver who evaded police for years is finally caught Vivian SongSeptember 7, 2025 at 10:46 PM 0 The mystery vehicle has frequently been described as a 'Ferrari Formula 1 car' For years, Czech media called the mysterious Formula Onestyle race car speeding down major motorways the "P...
- - 'Phantom Ferrari' driver who evaded police for years is finally caught
Vivian SongSeptember 7, 2025 at 10:46 PM
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The mystery vehicle has frequently been described as a 'Ferrari Formula 1 car'
For years, Czech media called the mysterious Formula One-style race car speeding down major motorways the "Phantom". Local police just called it a menace.
Since 2019, sightings of the red racing car roaring down Czech motorways delighted F1 fans, alarmed drivers and frustrated traffic police.
But after years of eluding the authorities, the suspected driver was arrested Sunday morning at his home in the village of Buk, 90 miles south-west of Prague.
Police were able to track the driver after receiving calls that the race car had been seen at a petrol station near Dobříš.
Just a GP2 car in Ferrari colours cruising up a highway in the Czech Republic. 😳 Police have not been able to identify the illegal joyrider and are looking for him for questioning. #F1 pic.twitter.com/D5GZLzU32b
— F1 Images (@F1_Images) August 14, 2022
The police response was heavy: along with several patrol cars, a helicopter was also dispatched to the house where the man, a 51-year-old, emerged from the car in a helmet and full race gear, but refused to cooperate.
"The driver of the car, who was stopped and identified by police officers, refused to comment on the situation when questioned," Czech police wrote on X.
"The police will refer the matter to administrative proceedings, where he faces a fine of several thousand crowns and a driving ban."
The mystery 'phantom' car decked out in full Ferrari livery has been spotted on Czech motorways many times since 2019
Police have been trying to catch the "Phantom" for years, but could not prove the person's identity due to the helmet masking their face.
The driver's son, identified as Lukáš, complained that police presence was disproportionate to what he called a "traffic violation" and denied being connected to the car that was seen speeding earlier Sunday morning.
He and his father have been posting videos of the racing car on TrackZone, their YouTube channel, as a hobby.
"The events have always gone without any problems. Everyone knows very well that Formula One has been running on the highway in the Czech Republic since 2019 and people will have to get used to it," he told Czech news site Idnes.cz.
He also claimed that the car was a 2006 Ferrari Dallara GPF1, of which only two exist in the world, and that it was purchased from a British racing team.
'It never exceeded 200kmh'
But trade magazines identify the car as a Dallara GP2/08 dressed to look like a Ferrari F1 car.
Racing cars are not road legal as they do not have licence plates, lights, indicators or safety equipment.
But Lukáš denied the car ever exceeded 200kmh (124mph). The top speed limit in the Czech Republic is 130kmh (81mph).
"It always drove at a maximum of 180 to 200kmh and did not endanger anyone. It just drove and did not make dangerous manoeuvres. Other people drive much more dangerously today," he said.
"If you had a car like that at home, you wouldn't just want to look at it. For me, just because a car isn't built for the highway doesn't mean it can't be driven on it. Not by a long shot. Drivers who drive at 30mph on country roads are far more dangerous."
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