‘Phantom’ racing car driver finally arrested by Czech police after 6 years

The driver could not be identified from previous video footage as he was always wearing a helmet. (Police of the Czech Republic via CNN Newsource)

It has been a fast and furious game of cat and mouse but Czech police have finally arrested a “phantom” racing car driver repeatedly spotted on the nation’s highways.

Police were first alerted to the bizarre case of a red Formula One-style racing car illegally driving on public roads six years ago. But all efforts to apprehend the speedy vehicle’s unidentifiable driver were fruitless. Until now.

At 8.15 a.m. local time on Sunday, police were alerted to a racing car seen at a gas station near Dobříš, about 25 miles southwest of Prague.

“Two minutes after the first report, another caller reported that the formula car was speeding along the D4 highway in the direction toward Příbram,” a town further south, Lieutenant Michaela Richterová, spokesperson for the Czech Police, Central Bohemian Region, said in a press release.

Several police patrols and a helicopter were immediately dispatched and within 15 minutes the driver was apprehended in the village of Buk, around 11 miles from where it was first spotted.

A 51-year-old man, who tested negative for both drink and drugs, was identified behind the wheel, although his identity has not been made public. He was taken to a police station for questioning but refused to comment, police said.

Previous attempts to apprehend the motorist were unsuccessful. The high-speed vehicle was first brought to police attention back in 2019 when they received video footage of it driving on the D4 highway, which connects Prague and the Southern Bohemia region. Three years later, they were made aware of more footage of the racing car, this time on a highway in Central Bohemia. Images from speed cameras showed the driver wearing a helmet, which made it impossible to identify him.

Driving such a vehicle on public roads is illegal in the Czech Republic. The police press release stated: “Racing cars of this type are not legally allowed to be driven on roads because they do not meet the legal technical requirements. The formula car has sharp edges and does not have lights, turning signal lights, license plates or other important safety features. Driving a formula car or other such racing car is dangerous not only for the driver himself, but also for other road users.”

A video, shared on a YouTube channel and an Instagram account identified by Czech media as belonging to the driver and his son, shows the moment of arrest. The vehicle is seen being towed into a courtyard of a house, with a voice heard shouting in Czech “There’s police everywhere!”

The driver refuses to get out and argues that police are trespassing on private property. The officers are heard saying they are there because the driver is suspected of breaking the law.

The driver then phones the police, while arguing with officers at the scene. He is told by the officer on the phone to obey police at the scene, but continues to resist. This standoff goes on for almost 10 minutes before the driver finally gets out and is escorted away.

While the racing car was described as a Ferrari by its owners, commentators online identified it as a Dallara GP racing vehicle.

The police will now pass the case to the administrative body that will decide on the penalty. The offence carries a fine of 5,000 to 10,000 Czech koruna (US$240-$480) and a driving ban of six months to a year.