One of the most unusual stories of recent times comes to us from Italy, more specifically from Rome. Italian police seized a fake F1 car in the colors of Scuderia Ferrari.
It is a copy of the Ferrari SF90 with which Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc competed in the 2019 Formula 1 World Cup. Made on a 1:1 scale, this forgery arrived in Italy from Brazil and was destined for a car dealership in the region of Tuscany.
As soon as the model was intercepted, transalpine authorities realized that the parts of this complex “puzzle” did not fit together and immediately got in touch with Scuderia Ferrari, which asked them to seize the car, as it was an unauthorized copy.
The decision to retain the car was taken by the Italian Patent and Monopoly Agency, together with Guardia di Finanza, who only rested until they got an official response from the Cavallino Rampante manufacturer, who claimed to know nothing about the model in question.
The Italian authorities estimate that the aim was for this copy to be used as an exhibition car at that dealership and that it was built using a 3D printer, based on detailed photographs of the real Ferrari SF90.
As you would expect, this fake replica didn't have any mechanical or electrical elements, just the “housing”. However, it represents a clear violation of Ferrari's intellectual and industrial property rights, and those responsible for this copy will have to face the law of that country.
McLaren MP4/4 was also “cloned”
Although the Italian police have not mentioned it, in the images released by the Italian Patent and Monopolies Agency it is also possible to see a fake replica of the McLaren MP4/4 (with Honda engine) with which Ayrton Senna was crowned world champion for the first time. of Formula 1, in 1988.