Czech authorities have finally apprehended a 51-year-old motorist who spent six years racing a Formula 1-style vehicle on public highways whilst disguised in full racing attire.
The arrest occurred on Sunday morning at the driver's residence in Buk, a village located 37 miles south-west of Prague.
Known as the "phantom" F1 driver, the man had successfully avoided identification since 2019 by wearing a racing helmet that obscured his face during his illegal motorway runs.
His capture marks the end of a lengthy pursuit by Czech police, who had struggled to establish the driver's identity despite numerous sightings of the distinctive red racing car on major roads.
The car has been seen on public roads for years
|IDNES.CZ
The operation began after motorists alerted police to a racing car at a petrol station near Dobříš. Officers mobilised multiple patrol cars and a helicopter to surround the suspect's property in Buk village.
Video footage captured the man sitting in his vehicle outside his garage, arguing with officers and claiming they were trespassing on his land.
He initially refused to exit the racing car when confronted by authorities.
Czech Police confirmed on X: "Thanks to information from drivers, this morning we stopped a Formula driver in the village of Buk who was speeding along the D4 highway."
The suspect was eventually taken into custody for questioning at the district police department. The racing car first appeared on Czech motorways in 2019, when initial footage emerged online.
Police questioned a suspected driver at that time but could not establish his identity or pursue charges due to the concealing helmet.
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The car is believed to be modified from a GP2 car
|IDNES.CZ
The vehicle has been repeatedly observed travelling at high speeds on Czech highways over the past six years, with the driver consistently wearing complete racing attire including a helmet.
Authorities faced ongoing challenges in proving the motorist's identity because of his disguise.
The car, whilst often characterised as a Ferrari Formula 1 vehicle, may actually be a Dallara GP2/08 according to racing publication Auto.cz.
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Such vehicles are prohibited on public roads as they lack registration plates, lighting, indicators and mandatory safety features.
The arrested man's son, identified as Lukas, criticised the scale of the police response, calling it excessive for what he termed a "traffic violation".
"They entered our private land and violated our rights, in my opinion it was completely unnecessary and illegal," he argued.
The car has been seen on and off the roads for six years
|IDNES.CZ
He rejected any link to the vehicle seen speeding on motorways. The pair operate a YouTube channel called TrackZone featuring videos of the racing car.
During police questioning, the 51-year-old declined to discuss the incident. Authorities indicated they would pursue administrative action that could result in penalties of several thousand crowns and a suspension of driving privileges.