Stolen Ferrari of F1 legend Gerhard Berger recovered in London after 28 years

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) – A Ferrari stolen from Formula One legend Gerhard Berger 28 years ago has been recovered, London's Met Police said on Monday.

The red Ferrari F512M Testarossa, valued at £350,000 ($443,000) was stolen as the Austrian icon was preparing to compete at the San Marino Grand Prix in April 1995.

The stolen Ferrari, along with another belonging to fellow Formula One driver Jean Alessi, vanished into the shadows, prompting speculation that the cars were targeted for a specific purpose. The silver-grey F355 belonging to Alessi remains missing to this day.

Following an extensive investigation spanning nearly three decades, the Organized Vehicle Crime Unit of London's Met Police received a breakthrough earlier this year. Ferrari, the Italian car manufacturer, reported suspicions regarding a vehicle being purchased by a US buyer through a UK broker.

Upon scrutiny, it was revealed that the Ferrari F512M Testarossa had been transported to Japan shortly after its theft in 1995 before resurfacing in the UK market in late 2023. Swift action by law enforcement officers prevented the car from being exported once more.

"The stolen Ferrari – close to the value of £350,000 – was missing for more than 28 years before we managed to track it down in just four days," Mike Pilbeam, a Met Police officer, said in a statement.

"Our enquiries were painstaking and included contacting authorities from around the world. We worked quickly with partners including the National Crime Agency, as well as Ferrari and international car dealerships, and this collaboration was instrumental in understanding the vehicle’s background and stopping it from leaving the country," he added.