A speedboat attempting to break a record lost control and somersaulted through the air before crashing into the water.

The drivers, using the pseudonyms John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, had been attempting to break the 206mph record on Lake Havasu, Arizona.

But disaster struck when their Skater 388 lost control, shortly after topping 210mph, and sailed through the air in front of horrified spectators of the Desert Storm Shootout on Saturday.

Both drivers walked away from the crash with minor injuries, the New York Post reported.

Footage from inside the cockpit showed the moment the pair, wearing just shorts and T-shirts with protective head gear, launched their vessel at the start of their run.