F1 driver’s Ferrari that was stolen in Italy during Grand Prix, found in London 28 years later
- The stolen Ferrari was found during a pre-purchase inspection
- It is one of the greatest road-going Ferraris ever
- The story of its heist is straight out of a movie
Published on Aug 25, 2024 at 12:52 PM (UTC+4)
by Nalin Rawat
Last updated on Aug 26, 2024 at 7:20 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Siddharth Dudeja
The police have found a stolen Ferrari F512M Testarossa belonging to an F1 driver after 28 years.
It was stolen from Austrian racer Gerhard Berger during the San Marino Grand Prix in April 1995.
The iconic red supercar disappeared in Italy and was found in London almost three decades after it was stolen.
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A heist story straight out of a movie
![F1-drivers-stolen-Ferrari-F512M-Testatarossa-finally-found](https://supercarblondie.com/wp-content/uploads/F1-drivers-stolen-Ferrari-F512M-Testatarossa-finally-found.webp)
The theft of the Ferrari F512M Testarossa occurred in a hotel car park in Imola, Italy.
Berger arrived at the parking space and found thieves inside the car.
He stood in the path of the fleeing robbers but had to leap out of the way as the thieves drove at him to make their getaway.
Berger gave chase in his friend’s Volkswagen Golf, but not even his prodigious talent could keep up with the stolen Ferrari.
It truly does sound like a plot from a movie.
How was the stolen Ferrari found?
![F1-drivers-Ferrari F512M Testarossa-that-was-stolen-in-Italy-during-Grand-Prix-found-in-London-28-years-later](https://supercarblondie.com/wp-content/uploads/F1-drivers-Ferrari-that-was-stolen-in-Italy-during-Grand-Prix-found-in-London-28-years-later.webp)
Unfortunately, it was just one of the two cars that was stolen that day.
Berger’s teammate, Jean Alesi, also had his Ferrari F355 stolen at the same time.
Fortunately, an American buyer tried to purchase the vehicle through a UK-based broker and requested a pre-purchase inspection from Ferrari.
The Italian carmaker quickly realized it was Berger’s stolen Ferrari F512M Testarossa from 1995.
They contacted the Metropolitan Police in London, who impounded the supercar in January of this year.
![F1-drivers-stolen-Ferrari-finally-found](https://supercarblondie.com/wp-content/uploads/F1-drivers-stolen-Ferrari-finally-found.webp)
![F1-drivers-Ferrari-stolen-during-Grand-Prix-finally-found](https://supercarblondie.com/wp-content/uploads/F1-drivers-Ferrari-stolen-during-Grand-Prix-finally-found.webp)
According to the police, the stolen supercar had been sent to Japan shortly after being taken.
It was only brought to the UK late last year.
Although that’s one car recovered, Alesi’s F355 is still missing.
The Testarossa is one of Ferrari’s most famous supercars.
The 512M variant that Berger drove was one of the final Testarossa models ever made.
Stealing such a supercar takes a lot of nerve and ambition, as it stands out from the rest of the cars.
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Nalin Rawat
Nalin started his career by working with various national newspapers in India. He has also worked as a writer/editor for many popular websites, while still pursuing his journalism and mass communication degree. Working as a digital nomad has allowed him to inform and educate through his work. When he is not writing, you can find him playing video games or travelling the mountains on his bike.