Blind Belgian breaks speed record

Costermans dedicated his record to injured F1 driver Philippe Streiff

Belgian Luc Costermans has broken the world blind road speed record, on an airstrip in France.

Mr Costermans topped 308.78km/h (192 mph) while driving a Lamborghini Gallardo supercar at Istres, near Marseille, in southern France.

Mr Costermans thanked his co-pilot Guillaume Roman, saying: ""I'm very, very happy. It's a team effort."

Mr Costermans took the record from Briton Mike Newman, whose BMW M5 reached 268km/h three years ago.

Dedication

Mr Costermans, 43, was blinded in an accident four years ago.

He hit the top speed in two runs in the borrowed car.

He dedicated his effort to the Formula 1 racing driver Philippe Streiff, who has been a tetraplegic since suffering an accident in a Grand Prix in Brazil in 1989.

Two years ago Mr Costermans completed a tour of France piloting a light aeroplane.

He was accompanied by an instructor and a navigator.