The driver of a high-performance Ferrari LaFerrari who was captured on camera speeding through a Beverly Hills neighborhood with the driver of a Porsche might have left the United States, police said Thursday.
Beverly Hills police identified the man as Khalid Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar, who claimed to own the Ferrari. He and the cars are gone, police said.
Several witnesses caught the drivers of the yellow million-dollar hybrid-power Ferrari and white Porsche 911 GT3 on cameras Saturday, blowing through at least one stop sign, performing hard launches and stops, and speeding around other drivers, possibly clipping at least one car.
No arrests have been reported, but police announced Thursday that they have learned more about one of the cars seen in the videos.
It is a limited-production LaFerrari, a supercar powered by a howling V12 engine and lithium-ion battery pack that crank out a combined 950 horsepower, said Beverly Hills Police Chief Dominick Rivetti.
"Our officers are on alert for the vehicles seen in the video and are prepared to take enforcement action, including issuing citations impounding the vehicles and arresting the individual when appropriate," Rivetti said.
No arrests have been made because officers did not witness the reckless driving, police said.
Police say arriving officers were told by al Thani that he owned the cars and had diplomatic immunity.
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But Rivetti says it's unlikely Al Thani has such immunity.
Police say they haven't confirmed whether Al Thani was driving either car, but a reckless-driving investigation continues.
The video captured Saturday includes an exchange between a journalist who recorded the drivers on camera and a man outside the house where the Ferrari, smoke coming from its engine bay, was parked. Video journalist Jacob Rogers said a man he believes was the Ferrari driver confronted him over his filming.
"He told me verbatim, 'I could have you killed and get away with it,'" Rogers said. "I told him, 'the press is allowed to be here on the sidewalk on a public street.' He said, '(Expletive) America' and threw a cigarette at me."
While police were conducting their investigation, they were approached by a man who said the vehicles belonged to him and denied speeding, running stop signs or driving recklessly. Police said they have been in contact with the United States State Department about the diplomatic status of the people involved and the legality of the vehicles driven on the road.
The renters of the $10 million home where the cars were seen did not want to talk to NBC4 on Monday.
The LaFerrari, priced at about $1.5 million, represents a new breed of hybrid supercars, along with the Porsche 918 and McLaren P1. The actual value of the LaFerrari is probably much higher, according to Kelly Blue Book. The GT3 model seen in the video represents the highest-performance version of Porsche's iconic 911 sports car.
