Carlos Sainz was having a good day so far. Ranked third at the end of the Monza Grand Prix in Italy, he celebrated his victory with the Italian tifosis before returning to his hotel. It was while leaving it that the incident occurred.
Two individuals jostled him and took the opportunity to seize his watch, a Richard-Mille estimated at some 500,000 Swiss francs. The Spanish driver and his assistant would then have pursued the criminals, helped by several fans who witnessed the scene, until they succeeded in blocking them. They then handed over to the police who came to the scene, then led to a police station. Carlos Sainz thus recovered his watch, proving at the same time that he was as fast running as in a car.