Major manhunt in Switzerland
Robbery of ex-racing driver Alain Prost
Updated May 23, 2026 – 3:34 amReading time: 2 minutes
Masked perpetrators have apparently broken into the house of ex-Formula 1 world champion Prost. The 71-year-old was injured.
Former Formula 1 world champion Alain Prost was apparently robbed. On Tuesday morning, according to Swiss media reports, several masked people forced their way into Alain Prost’s villa in Nyon in the canton of Vaud on Lake Geneva. The former Formula 1 world champion was immediately attacked and suffered a head injury, reports “Blick”. At the same time, the perpetrators are said to have threatened the rest of the family.
According to the report, the burglars forced one of Prost’s sons to open the family safe under the threat of violence. What exactly was stolen is still unclear. What is known, however, is that the 71-year-old ex-Ferrari driver maintains close ties to the luxury watch industry: he has been working with the Richard Mille manufacturer for years, which has even dedicated a special edition limited to 30 pieces to him. Neither the family nor the company responded to requests.
Major manhunt is underway
After the alarm, the Vaud cantonal police launched a large-scale search operation. Police, dog units, security forces and forensic investigators combed the region around Nyon. Since investigators cannot rule out an escape across the border, the French police were also called in. There is currently no trace of the perpetrators.
Prost is said to have only suffered minor physical injuries but was reportedly in shock. A care team had to be called in on site. The 71-year-old has now returned to Dubai, where he lives temporarily and devotes himself primarily to cycling and golf – occasionally also together with tennis star Roger Federer.
The Vaud public prosecutor’s office only confirms that criminal proceedings have been initiated. When asked by “Blick”, she neither wanted to confirm nor deny whether the affected family was actually the Prosts.