Formula 1 Driver Chases Down Thieves Who Stole $300,000 Richard Mille Watch

Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz had a 48 hours while in Italy over the weekend.

First, the Spanish driver placed his Ferrari on the pole in front of  hundreds of thousands of the team’s diehard fans at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza.

Twenty-four hours later, he celebrated on the podium after finishing the in third before Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

It was Sainz’s first podium of the season.

But his day quickly went downhill from there.

Italian publication la Repubblica reports that three thieves approached Sainz on the street outside Milan’s Armani Hotel on Sunday night.

The report states that the thieves then forcibly removed Sainz’s Richard Mille watch before taking off running down the street.

Sainz’s bodyguard then ran after the trio, with the Ferrari driver not far behind according  the report. People on the street then joined in on the chase before the thieves were ultimately cornered in the upscale shopping district Montenapoleone.

The report then states that police eventually showed up and took the thieves into custody. Sainz recovered his watch, which was valued at at least €300,000 ($323,970.00), according to Reuters.

Video posted on social media appears to show Sainz talking with police and passersby in the aftermath of the botched robbery.

Sainz was unharmed in the incident. But it’s sure to be an incident that the 29-year-old won’t soon forget.

He later acknowledged the incident on Instagram,  thanking police and the people on the street who helped him.

“As many of you already know, yesterday we experienced an unfortunate experience in Milano,” Sainz wrote. “The most important thing is that we are all OK and this will only remain as an unpleasant anecdote.

“Many thanks to all the people who helped us yesterday, to the Milan police for their quick intervention and thanks for all your messages.”

Talk about one heck of a weekend.