Stolen Ferrari of F1 Legend Gerhard Berger Found After 28 Years

The Metropolitan Police have successfully recovered a Ferrari stolen from former Formula One driver Gerhard Berger nearly three decades ago. The red Ferrari F512M, a victim of theft during the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola, Italy, in April 1995, was identified during a transaction involving a US buyer and a UK broker.

Upon notification from Ferrari, who had conducted checks on the car being sold, the Metropolitan Police’s Organised Vehicle Crime Unit sprang into action. Their investigation revealed that the stolen vehicle had been transported to Japan shortly after its theft and remained there until it was brought to the UK in late 2023. Police intervention thwarted an attempt to export the car, ensuring its recovery.

The Ferrari F512M, valued close to £350,000, had eluded authorities for over 28 years. The recovery operation, led by Pc Mike Pilbeam, spanned just four days but required extensive international collaboration. Authorities around the globe, including the National Crime Agency, Ferrari, and international car dealerships, contributed to tracing the vehicle’s intricate history and preventing its departure from the UK.

While this particular Ferrari has been secured, the Metropolitan Police reported that the second car stolen in the 1995 incident remains missing, and no arrests have been made in connection with the recovery. The successful retrieval of Berger’s Ferrari underscores the effectiveness of cross-border law enforcement cooperation and highlights the enduring value and allure of classic sports cars.

This recovery not only marks a significant achievement for the Metropolitan Police but also serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring legacy of Formula One and its icons, bridging the gap between the past and the present in the automotive world.

About the Author

Shawn Henry

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Shawn Henry has spent years writing about cars, and it shows—not in a resume kind of way, but in how he talks about them. He's the type who'll notice the weird trim option nobody remembers and actually know why it mattered. At Backfire News, he covers pretty much the whole spectrum: off-road trucks and trail builds, performance cars, racing, and the collector market. He's comfortable getting into the technical weeds, but he never forgets that most people read about cars because cars are fun, not because they want a spec sheet. His beat runs from classic and collector vehicles to overlanding culture, modified performance builds, new automotive tech, and the industry news that actually affects what ends up in your driveway. Mostly, though, Shawn thinks the best car stories are about people—the builds they pour money into, the road trips, the communities that form around a shared obsession. That's the stuff he likes writing about, and it's what you'll find in his work here.

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