After fighting hard against his teammate Charles Leclerc and even Max Verstappen's ultra-dominant Red Bull at Monza, the Spaniard was attacked by muggers at his hotel in Milan, the Armani hotel, in the evening.

Spanish and Italian-language reports say the 29-year-old had a EUR 300,000 Richard Mille watch removed from his wrist - but Sainz then chased the thieves on foot.

Helped by his cousin and manager, Carlos Onoro Sainz, who blocked the attackers with their road car before chasing on foot, as well as two Milan locals, they wrestled the timepiece back and called the police.

The police later put out an official statement confirming that three Moroccan citizens aged 18, 19 and 20 were arrested.