EX-Red Arrows pilot turned Red Bull Air Race ace Ben Murphy wowed the crowds as he smashed the course record at Farnborough Airshow on Friday in the air race’s only UK appearance of 2018.

Murphy, who is also flying as part of the Blades aerobatic display team alongside his sister Kirsty at this year’s airshow, won both the early and late afternoon time-trials on ’Futures Friday’ at Farnborough - beating rival Italian Dario Costa.

The two pilots reached speeds of 370km/h while enduring forces of up to 12G as they weaved and looped their Edge 540 raceplanes just metres from the ground between a grand total of 11, 25-metre tall inflatable pylons.

In two best of three races on Friday, Murphy won both demonstrations 2-0 - although Costa looked set to run the former Harrier pilot close in his first heat of the second session, only to draw gasps from the crowd as he clipped the penultimate pylon.

It marked the Red Bull Air Race’s first UK appearance since 2016 and is the only time the race is set to feature in the skies above Britain this year.

Futures Friday offers a transition between Farnborough Internation Airshow’s five day trade exhibition and the public weekend, with a limited number of the general public and many schoolchildren and cadets invited to speak to industry experts as well as sample the flying display.

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s iconic Lancaster bomber flanked by a Spitfire and Hurricane kicked off Friday’s display, which also boasted a Red Arrows flypast, the Blades and Wingwalkers display teams and jet fighters the Harrier and F-16 Fighting Falcon.

All of the above are set to feature over the weekend, with several exciting additions. For more information and tickets, visit the website www.farnboroughairshow.com.