A £3.7 million Ferrari Monza SP2 has been seized by the Metropolitan Police during a crackdown on anti-social and dangerous driving in central London.
The rare supercar was among 90 vehicles taken off the roads during an operation that targeted uninsured drivers and motorists accused of dangerous or anti-social behaviour across Hyde Park, Kensington and Chelsea between 7 and 9 August.
The Ferrari had reportedly been in the UK for just one day when officers stopped it. The driver had been behind the wheel for less than half an hour and was found to have only a provisional driving licence. The car was also uninsured, according to the Met.
The unusual seizure attracted further attention after footage showed a Metropolitan Police officer driving the Ferrari through Mayfair while accompanied by a police convoy.
The Ferrari Monza SP2 was stopped as part of the Met's operation targeting vehicles being driven without proper insurance or in a way that could cause concern to other road users and residents.
According to police, the driver had only a provisional licence and the vehicle was uninsured.
The Met said the car had been in the UK for only a day. The driver had reportedly driven it for less than 30 minutes before officers stopped him.
The Ferrari was therefore seized during the operation rather than being allowed to continue on London's roads.
The vehicle is one of only 499 Ferrari Monza SP2 models produced. Its value has risen significantly since it was originally sold, with one example fetching almost $5 million (£3.7 million) at auction earlier this year.
Images and video of the Ferrari quickly circulated online after a Met officer was filmed behind the wheel.
The officer was seen wearing sunglasses while driving the open-top supercar through Mayfair as part of a police convoy.
The footage prompted a wave of reactions online, with social media users joking about the unusual experience of seeing a police officer driving a multimillion-pound Ferrari.
However, the car was not seized for the officer's personal use. It was being moved as part of the police operation after being taken off the road.
The Ferrari was reportedly among several vehicles seized from a supercar gathering near Wellington Arch, close to Hyde Park Corner.
The Ferrari was just one of dozens of vehicles taken off London's roads during the weekend operation.