Briton arrested after ‘video game’ street race in Seville

A BRITISH man is suspected of involvement in an illegal betting ring in Spain, in which daredevil drivers replicate dangerous video-game stunts while being pursued by patrol cars.

The man was arrested in Seville on Sunday after leading a police chase through the city centre at speeds of more than 100mph. He is suspected of being a member of the gang, which is said to take inspiration from a racing video game, according to the newspaper Diario de Sevilla.

Participants gamble large sums of money, with the winner being the driver who racks up the biggest mileage speeding through an urban area and causing the highest number of risky situations.

The unnamed 21-year-old allegedly weaved through cars as he travelled against the flow of traffic in a high-powered Audi, mounted pavements and crossed a traffic island to dodge the police cars that were chasing him.

The driver, and a 19-year-old Irish passenger, eventually crashed, knocking over traffic light posts after reaching a top speed of 112 mph during a six-mile chase on some of Seville’s busiest streets.

“One police officer sustained injuries and the driver came close to knocking over several pedestrians,” Seville’s emergency services said in a statement.

The British man was held in custody overnight and then released pending a police investigation.

The car, hired in Marbella that weekend, was an Audi RS6. Police in Andalusia are investigating two similar incidents involving drivers of identical models – possibly other competitors within the gang.

Last week, a driver smashed an Audi RS6 into a police car in Marbella after a pursuit, while police in Seville pursued another speeding driver who escaped.

According to the Diario de Sevilla, court sources describe the members of the gang as wealthy individuals who spend thousands of euros on hiring topof-the-range vehicles and betting on the outcomes of illegal competitions.