A Ferrari driver, who was caught speeding along the Costa del Sol at more than 240km/h, told police who eventually pulled him over, he was running late to catch a flight at Malaga airport.

The sports car was first spotted being 'driven recklessly' on the AP-7 motorway near Marbella, by traffic officers and cameras onboard a Pegasus helicopter, operated by the DGT roads authority.

It happened on the morning of 13 August and, according to sources, the driver was making constant lane changes to overtake the vehicles in his path, even going so far as to use the hard shoulder to avoid other cars.

The traffic helicopter flew above the Ferrari and began recording images, as well as taking measurements to check its speed which peaked at 270 km/h – although it averaged 241 kilometres per hour in an area limited to 120.

The Pegasus aircraft followed the Ferrari for several kilometres and, after alerting officers on the ground, it was eventually stopped by a Guardia Civil patrol on the A-7 near Torremolinos.

The driver, a Dutch man driving the Belgian-registered Ferrari, said he was rushing because he was running late to catch a flight at Malaga airport. The man was detained and will now face road safety charges, according to sources.