A long-serving pilot for British Airways has won in the UK leg of the Red Bull Air Race.
Competing in the race at Ascot Racecourse, Paul Bonhomme dominated the skies as he went full throttle to complete the course in 1.06.416, putting him in poll position as the world championship series continues to make its way around the world.
The 50-year-old race flying champion was cheered on by his Heathrow colleagues and friends as he took his Edge 540 V2 single-seat plane across the finishing line.
Mr Bonhomme, who hit speeds near 370kph on the track, said: "It was a hard day at the office but today was great fun – I enjoyed that.
"All I can say is this was due to teamwork, teamwork, teamwork. I'm only the driver. I just point the plane in the right direction."
When he's not racing, the commercial airline pilot, flying for BA since 1988, is seen in the cockpit of a Boeing 747 whisking passengers off on the jumbo jet to their holiday destinations.
Prior to the race, he put on a display of his flying skills to his airline colleagues of a flypast over his jumbo jet parked at a BA maintenance base.
A BA spokesman said: “Everyone at British Airways is incredibly proud of Paul’s fantastic achievement.
"He had airline colleagues among the 40,000 home crowd cheering him on to victory.
“It’s great to have a top British sportsperson from the airline flying the flag for Britain.”
As a 16-year-old, he did odd jobs on the airfield in Windsor before getting his private licence at 18 following in his father's footsteps to become a pilot.
His aerobatics career began in 1986 and he has been flying at air shows ever since.
