Video Shows Man Driving a Ferrari F2 Race Car on a Public Motorway
This is what happened next.
If you own a fancy race car and everyone in town hasn't seen it, do you really own it at all? That thought process, or something like it, might have been the reason why a motorist took his Formula 2 Ferrari out for a spin on a public highway in the Czech Republic over the weekend. Authorities were not amused. Read on to find out what happened when video of the joy ride went viral.
The car was filmed ripping down the D4 highway between Příbram and Dobříš. Video shared on social media racked up thousands of views. It might have seemed a novelty to car fans on Twitter, but authorities believe this actually isn't the first time this particular driver has hit the road in the car.
Un colgado ha metido un GP2 en una autopista de la República Checa. La policía no ha podido identificar al conductor y lo están buscando pic.twitter.com/gn4yWbV1rb
— uVe (@MigueluVe) August 14, 2022
The vehicle was initially mistaken for a Formula 1 car, the type of auto used at the peak of the sport. Car experts have since determined that it appears to be a Dallara GP2 car—technically Formula 2—that was outfitted with the livery of a famous Ferrari F2004, one used by F1 star Michael Schumacher to win the world championship in 2004.
If you're thinking there may not be too many suspects who owned such a vehicle, you're right. Authorities knew who they were looking for.
According to Prague Morning, this particular joyrider had been spotted on highways in 2018 and 2019. Officers tracked down the car's owner and questioned him, but the suspect denied he was behind the wheel. Police couldn't prove the case—the driver was wearing a racing helmet at the time—so no charges were brought. That's a lucky break: The driver could have been subject to a $412 fine and had his license suspended for a year.
The Drive explained why taking a race car out on public roadways is hazardous. "Race cars of this kind are built for a specific set of conditions, meaning racetracks shared with other vehicles of the same type," they said. "Crash structures and other components are built specifically for those environments, so taking this car on a public road not only is dangerous for the driver but also for others."
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"Guys out here living his best life," said one Twitter commenter.
"There's something ridiculous & hilarious about this," said another. "Not sure that the car would last too long on a normal road like that."
"Track is too narrow, overtaking is impossible here," said another. "0/10 track, remove it from the calendar."
Others weren't amused by the prank. "So irresponsible," said another Twitter commenter. "No way the driver can keep temperature in those brakes. This is a bad accident waiting to happen."
