Alex Thomson unveils £6m boat he hopes will take him to victory

British sailor Alex Thomson believes he has the boat to win him the Vendee Globe round the world race in 2020.

Thomson, from Gosport in Hampshire, finished second in 2017 to France's Armel Le Cleac'h on board Hugo Boss.

The 45-year-old has also finished third in his four Vendee Globe attempts and is keen to cap off 20 years work by being the first Briton to win it.

Thomson has begun putting the £6m new edition of his Hugo Boss boat through her paces on the Solent, reaching speeds up to 40 knots.

The 60ft Imoca class has been built at the same boat yard in Hamble, near Southampton as Sir Ben Ainslie's new vessel for the next edition of the America's Cup.

It features an inside cockpit to improve speed and efficiency while the deck is covered with solar panels as Thomson aims to sale around the world without using any fossil fuels.