Gerhard Berger's Ferrari has been found in London, 28 years after it was stolen during a race.
The red Ferrari F512M was stolen from outside Imola while Berger was competing in the 1995 San Marino Grand Prix with teammate Jean Alesi's F355, but it has now been recovered in London almost 30 years later.
British police find Gerhard Berger's stolen Ferrari
British police confirmed they had recovered the car, which was due to be sold to a buyer in the United States, when Ferrari alerted the Metropolitan Police.
Police believe it was stolen and brought to Japan before arriving in the UK late last year. They have now recovered the vehicle, but it remains to be seen if it will be returned to Berger.
Police announced, “The stolen Ferrari had been missing for over 28 years, but we were able to track it down in just four days.''
“Our investigation was painstaking and involved contacting authorities around the world.
“We worked quickly with partners such as the National Crime Agency, Ferrari and international car dealerships. This collaboration helped us understand the context of the vehicle and stop it leaving the country. ”
No arrests have been made yet, but the investigation is ongoing, the force added.
However, the news is not so good for Alesi as the gray F355 is still missing.
The car was originally built between 1994 and 1996, is just one of 501 built by Ferrari, and is said to be worth around £350,000.
Berger witnessed the theft while finishing third in the San Marino race, but was unable to stop it.
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Gerhard Berger ignores calls to return to F1
After retiring as an F1 driver in 1997, Berger held a number of positions in the paddock, most recently as chairman of the FIA Single Seat Committee, a position he held until 2014.
However, the 64-year-old Austrian revealed last year that he had ignored pleas to return.
“There were considerations, and then I would have had to arrange my life differently,” he told Speedweek.com. “Young children play an important role.
“I want to take my 6-year-old son to his first kart race and my 9-year-old daughter horseback riding. I want to spend more time with them.”
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