For nearly six years, a mysterious figure in full racing gear haunted Czech highways — roaring past stunned motorists in a scarlet Formula-style rocket car and vanishing before police could react. On Sunday, the chase finally ended.
Czech authorities announced they had arrested a 51-year-old man suspected of being the so-called “Phantom Ferrari driver,” who has become a viral legend since first being filmed in 2019. The arrest took place in the small village of Bulk, about 37 miles from Prague, after police tracked the race car to the property.
Video released by police shows the man in a red racing suit with his hands raised as officers closed in, with several dozen patrol cars and even a helicopter reportedly involved in the dramatic operation.
For years, the driver had taunted police and fascinated the public. His distinctive Dallara GP2/08 — a former feeder series race car often mistaken for a Ferrari Formula 1 machine — had been filmed speeding at breakneck pace along Czech motorways, often evading capture thanks to a helmet that obscured his face.
Authorities first identified the vehicle back in 2019, but when confronted, the man denied driving it on public roads. His identity remained shrouded in mystery as new clips of the car kept surfacing online.
On Sunday morning, however, police spotted the vehicle cruising along the D4 motorway before stopping at a gas station, according to the BBC. Officers tailed the driver back to Bulk, where they finally moved in.
The suspect initially resisted, arguing with police that they were trespassing on private property. His son later blasted the show of force, telling Czech media that the swarm of patrol cars and aerial support was disproportionate to a “supposed traffic violation.”
The man eventually relented and was taken to a police station — still dressed in his racing outfit. Authorities said he refused to comment when questioned.
“He faces a fine in the order of several thousand crowns and a driving ban,” police noted in a statement. (Five thousand Czech crowns is roughly $240.)
While the fine may seem modest compared to the international buzz his antics generated, the saga of the “Phantom Ferrari driver” appears to have reached its final lap. What remains unclear is whether this is the same man who first drew worldwide attention six years ago — or if someone else had briefly slipped behind the wheel of the red racer.
Either way, the legend of the high-speed ghost of Czech highways has come to an abrupt halt, leaving only viral videos and a trail of unanswered questions in its wake.
