Czech police arrest 'phantom' racing‑car driver after six years of motorway sightings
A 51‑year‑old was held after officers tracked a red single‑seater to his home; the open‑wheel car has been filmed on Czech highways since 2019
Czech police arrested a 51‑year‑old man on Sunday after tracing a red single‑seat racing car that has been repeatedly filmed speeding on motorways since 2019.
Officers were alerted by calls reporting the car at a petrol station near Dobříš and moved on the man’s house in the village of Buk, about 60 kilometres southwest of Prague, using multiple patrol cars and a police helicopter. Local footage shows the man briefly refusing to leave the vehicle and arguing with officers, saying they were trespassing on his property.
Czech police wrote on X that "thanks to information from drivers, this morning we stopped a Formula driver in the village of Buk who was speeding along the D4 highway." Authorities identified the man and took him to the district department to provide an explanation, the statement said. He declined to comment during questioning, police said.
The vehicle has been widely described in media as a Ferrari Formula 1 car, but Czech motorsport website Auto.cz said the chassis is likely a Dallara GP2/08, a car developed for the GP2 Series. Whether Formula 1 or GP2, open‑wheel racing cars are not legal for road use because they lack licence plates, lights, indicators and other mandatory safety equipment.
Police said they will pursue administrative proceedings; the driver could face a fine of several thousand Czech crowns and a driving ban. Under Czech traffic law, the absence of required equipment and licence plates, and driving at excessive speeds on public roads, can trigger fines and licence suspensions.
The case revives a pattern of sightings that began in 2019, when online footage first drew attention and led police to question a suspected driver. Identification proved difficult because the person drove in full race gear with a helmet, and previous stops did not produce conclusive evidence for prosecution, according to media reports.
The arrested man and his adult son run a YouTube channel called TrackZone that posts videos of the car. The son, named Lukas, told local reporters that the police operation was disproportionate to a traffic violation and that officers had violated the family’s rights by entering private land. He denied any connection to the car that was seen at the petrol station on Sunday.
Police did not disclose whether any additional criminal charges are under consideration. The administrative proceedings will determine fines and potential licence sanctions based on traffic‑law violations related to the vehicle’s road use.
Public and police concern has grown in recent years as clips of the red single‑seater circulating on highways drew attention from motorists and media. Czech authorities have repeatedly warned that operating purpose‑built racing machines on public roads poses risks to drivers and other road users because those vehicles are not fitted or certified for road safety requirements.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have asked witnesses and drivers who have recorded or seen the car to come forward with information to assist proceedings.