Jonathan Thomas (41) suffered a tear to his heart and ruptured thoracic aorta in the crash, involving his silver Chevrolet Corvette, a pale green Toyota Yaris and blue Fiat Punto on Mansfield Road in Clipstone.

It is believed Mr Thomas, of Henton Road, moved into the centre of the road to pass a car that was turning into Clipstone Lodge care home and lost control of the left-hand drive Corvette as he accelerated at around 3.15pm on 17th December last year.

Shelie Rodgers, the driver of the Yaris, was heading into Clipstone on her way back to her Mansfield home after a training day in Newark.

"I can remember seeing a silver sports car coming out (into the road) and then he seemed to go back in again," she said.

"He just seemed to take a glance to see what was coming and my first thought was, he is trying to overtake.

"I tried to drive on to the grass verge out of the way, but he had crashed into me before I had chance to get out of the way. The noise of the impact was like a bomb going off."

Another witness, David Pinkett, was behind Mr Thomas' vehicle in a queue of traffic travelling out of Clipstone.

He described seeing the Corvette clip the grass verge and shoot into the path of the oncoming Yaris as they entered the de-restricted speed section of the road.

"I remember audibly hearing the engine's revs increasing," he said. "He was accelerating away because the signs allowed him to do so."

Mrs Rodgers suffered whiplash and back injuries, but was otherwise unharmed.

Mr Thomas' vehicle continued to spin and eventually the driver's side of the Corvette was hit by the Punto, which was travelling towards Clipstone.

Police said the Punto was flung backwards in the air for 13 metres and the driver was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The inquest was told Mr Thomas worked in the village and had been at the pub before the fateful drive home.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Nottinghamshire assistant deputy coroner Martin Gotheridge said Mr Thomas had been drinking in the pub before the crash and his judgement could have been affected by the alcohol in his blood — but he was not over the legal limit.

"The cause of the accident must be attributed to the manner of driving of Mr Thomas," he said. "My deepest sympathies go to Mr Thomas' family, but one must also have sympathy for the drivers of the other two vehicles involved, and particularly the driver of the Punto, who received serious injuries."