Generally, if a car gets stolen, the more time goes on, the less likely it is to be found. If it’s not recovered within a few weeks, then sadly, there’s a good chance you won’t be seeing it again.
So imagine the surprise former F1 driver Gerhard Berger is feeling now that a Ferrari stolen from him in 1995 has unexpectedly reappeared. The Austrian was driving for Scuderia Ferrari that season, alongside Jean Alesi. Naturally, both drove Ferrari road cars – Berger a red F512 M, and Alesi a grey F355.
Recovered Ferrari F512 M – rear
The two cars were stolen from the paddock by unidentified thieves during the 1995 San Marino Grand Prix weekend at Imola, Italy. Berger apparently witnessed the theft unfolding but was unable to stop it, despite his best efforts. It seemed that was that, but the story has taken an unexpected turn: Berger’s F512 M has resurfaced, almost 29 years after the theft.
The car has been found by London’s Metropolitan Police, specifically its Organised Vehicle Crime Unit. Apparently, shortly after being stolen, it was exported to Japan, where it remained until late last year. At that point, it was shipped to the UK as part of a sale process for an American buyer via a British broker. During the export process, Ferrari itself had carried out checks which flagged it up as a stolen car.
Gerhard Berger
Once in the UK, it was immediately seized by the Met to prevent it from being exported. It seems to be in good condition despite its shady past. PC Mike Pilbeam, leader of the investigation, said: “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.”
Produced between 1994 and 1996, the F512 M was the final evolution of the Testarossa platform, and the rarest with just 501 built. Today, they’re worth upwards of £300,000.
It’s unclear whether Berger, now 64, will be reunited with his long-missing Ferrari, but it’s refreshing to see an ultimately happy ending to the story of a stolen car. The whereabouts of Alesi’s F355 remains unknown, but hopefully, that’ll pop up at some point too.
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