Flying Scot Des in World Cup bid

Scotland may have missed out on the World Cup, but could still taste sporting glory as a northeast air race pilot goes on the hunt for victory.

Flying Scotsman Des Hart, a director with Aberdeen-based F3 Offshore, is competing at the Air Race 1 World Cup at Thailand’s U-Tapao Naval Airbase from Friday to Sunday.

He will go up against 16 other highly-skilled racing pilots on a tight oval circuit at speeds of over 250mph just metres above the ground.

Mr Hart, who will be racing for the Sleeper team in a Cassutt IIIM aircraft, said: “It’s going to be a thrilling event in a truly spectacular location. I can’t wait.

“Winning the World

“Winning the World Cup would be unbelievable”

Cup for Scotland would be unbelievable. The support our national teams get wherever they go is renowned and it would be great for Scotland to win something, rather than being underdogs.”

Air Race 1 is the first official international series of formula one air racing in the 70-year history of the sport.

The dad-of-two had been forced to put air racing on the back burner for the past year after his family received the earth-shattering news that younger daughter Sofia, just seven, was suffering from bone cancer.

But Mr Hart, wife Lynn and eldest daughter Helena, nine, are keeping their fingers crossed they can look forward to happier times with Sofia.

“I had no intention of racing this year due to how poorly Sofia was,” he added. “It was a very aggressive bone cancer, but the initial scans after her chemotherapy looked really positive, and she finished her immunotherapy before I flew out to Thailand, so we’re hoping and praying for more good news in the coming weeks.”