The 30-year-old motorist was driving at speed along Avenue JF Kennedy at about 11pm on Monday when he lost control of his car.

The vehicle struck the barrier at the entrance to the tunnel at the Serra roundabout near the Utopolis cinema.

The impact was so powerful that police found pieces of the Luxembourg-registered vehicle up to 150 metres away from the crash scene.

Rescue workers spent an hour releasing the man from the vehicle, which police said is totally destroyed.

The man was taken to hospital where he is said to be in a serious condition.