Police, Portelli ‘circle work’ exchange footage released

A court has released footage capturing the moment billionaire Adrian Portelli was pulled over by police in luxury car | WATCH THE VIDEO

Billionaire Adrian Portelli is grinning as he is pulled over in a luxury sports car by Victoria Police, days before Christmas in 2020.

Body worn camera footage, released by the Sunshine Magistrates Court after Mr Portelli was found guilty of a driving offence but not a hooning charge, shows the exchange for the first time.

The video records police pulling over the grey Mercedes C63 with yellow stripes, with one officer heard saying (there was) “an intentional loss of traction on the roundabout back there” as he steps out of the police car.

Adrian Portelli and Gillon McLachlan at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix. Picture: Instagram

The officer fixes on a face mask, and walks over to the stationary sports car where he meets the smiling Melbourne-based billionaire.

“Picked a bad day to do circle work around a roundabout, mate,” the officer says.

Mr Portelli laughs and says: “Yeah, tell me about it mate”.

The officer asks for Mr Portelli’s driver’s licence, but it’s not on him. Mr Portelli says he does have one though, when asked.

Mr Portelli says the car is registered to his now ex-partner.

“She’s not going to be very happy,” the officer says. “Do you know why she may not be very happy? Because it’s going to get impounded.

“Intentional loss of traction mate.”

Mr Portelli says: “Yeah, no worries”.

“We were in the right place at the wrong time, unfortunately for you,” the officer says.

“It is what it is,” Mr Portelli responds.

Billionaire Adrian Portelli (C) attends the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit. Picture: Angelica Snowden

Magistrate Michael McNamara ruled earlier this month Mr Portelli did not intentionally lose traction of the car, around a roundabout in Diggers Rest in Melbourne’s west on a rainy day.

But, Magistrate McNamara found the 36-year-old did fail to have proper control of the car.

Mr Portelli, who has a personal wealth of about $1.4bn according to The Australian’s Richest 250 and known for social media stunts, is set to be fined $296.

Parts of the body worn camera footage have been redacted, but it shows Mr Portelli agreeing to a breath and drug test, both of which returned negative results.

He gave a “no comment” interview to police in the remainder of the footage, after he was told by the officer: “obviously our reason for intercepting you was we saw you doing circle work, doughnuts, whatever you want to call it back up at the roundabout.”

Mr Portelli said it was his lawyer’s advice to give him a “no comment” interview.

He did not appear in person to give evidence at court, due to an illness. He did attend the Australian Grand Prix a few days later.

Magistrate McNamara told the court he would not convict Mr Portelli or take away his licence, even though it was “tempting to send a message to other young men who might want to do silly things in their cars”.

“In my view, (Mr Portelli) gets the benefit of this being a very old matter. We are now four-and-a-half years down the track,” he said.

“(I am) hopeful that people don’t think this sort of driving is appropriate.”

Police prosecutor Alex Turner argued Mr Portelli should have faced serious consequences including a conviction, off the back of a “litany” of old infringement notices, including excessive speeding and driving while his licence was suspended.

Originally published as Police, Portelli ‘circle work’ exchange footage released