Police Fine Ferrari F40 Driver Over Knokke Drifting Stunt
Belgian police have drawn up an official report against the driver of a bright red Ferrari F40 who repeatedly drifted and performed ‘donuts’ on public roads during the opening day of the Zoute Grand Prix in Knokke-Heist, one of the country’s most prominent classic car events. The manoeuvres took place in front of crowds at several locations along the coastal municipality, and the driver has not yet been identified.
What Happened
According to VRT NWS, the incident occurred on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, during the Zoute Iconic Rally — a category reserved for iconic cars built between 1975 and 2005. The driver of the Ferrari F40 began drifting and performing donuts at multiple points, including on the Zeedijk seafront promenade, in the Dumortierlaan, near the five-star hotel La Réserve, and at the finish line of the rally itself.
At La Réserve, HLN reported, another motorist had to brake sharply to avoid a collision with the Ferrari. The driver also drove against the direction of traffic at one point. Video of the stunts spread quickly on social media, including TikTok.
Police Response
“We have seen the images. A report is being drawn up against the driver of the car,” said Steve Desmet, chief of police for the Damme/Knokke-Heist zone. “The driver displayed inappropriate driving behaviour and also drove in the opposite direction. His manoeuvres on the public road are simply dangerous, especially because many people are watching.”
Desmet added that identifying the driver was ongoing and that the file would now be handled by the public prosecutor’s office. “The Zoute Grand Prix must be a celebration. This behaviour cannot be tolerated,” he said. “That also applies to all other cars in our municipality in the coming days.”
The event organiser also publicly condemned the conduct as early as Wednesday evening. “We immediately took the driver to task over this, and as an organisation we are not happy about it,” a spokesperson said, according to HLN.
A Flagship Event Under Scrutiny
The Zoute Grand Prix is Belgium’s best-known classic and luxury car gathering, held annually on the Belgian coast. The 2026 edition, branded the ‘Zoute Grand Prix Car Week’, runs from 7 to 11 October and is expected to draw around half a million visitors. Since being taken over by Belgian entrepreneur Marc Coucke after a financially turbulent period, the event has expanded and is described locally as the town’s flagship occasion of the year.
Its economic weight is considerable. According to the municipal authority, roughly 15 million euros was spent in Knokke-Heist during the previous edition. “This event puts our municipality on the international map,” Mayor Cathy Coudyser said at the opening, as VRT NWS reported. “That is why this five-day event is of vital importance for our local economy.”
Analysis
The episode highlights a recurring tension at the event: the spectacle value of high-performance and iconic cars versus strict road-safety rules on public roads. The drifting took place on open streets lined with spectators rather than on a closed circuit, amplifying both the risk and the public reaction.
It is not the only mishap of this year’s edition. A separate crash occurred during the ‘Influencers Sprint’, in which Coucke and friends raced miniature Porsches, when one vehicle ended up among the public without serious injury. The organisers had announced in advance that they would not tolerate reckless ‘patsergedrag’, or show-off driving.
Reaction on social media and in reader comments was largely critical, with many questioning the deterrent effect of a fine on a driver of a car worth several million euros, and some suggesting exclusion from the event would be a more meaningful sanction.
What’s Next
As of Thursday morning, the driver had not been identified and no penalty had been determined. The further handling of the official report lies with the public prosecutor’s office, which will decide whether and how to proceed. Police have warned that every car — whether taking part in the Zoute Grand Prix or not — must obey the highway code, and said they would act firmly over the remaining days of the event.