US President Donald Trump has arrived at the IndyCar race through the streets of Washington DC, which marks the culmination of a series of summer events to celebrate the country's 250th birthday.

The president and First Lady Melania Trump took a ceremonial lap of the 1.7-mile track in his presidential limousine, The Beast.

As they reached the finish line, Trump's new Air Force One completed a flyover above the capital.

The Freedom 250 Grand Prix is the first time professional road racing has been hosted in the capital.

Melania Trump waved to fans from the track

With a maximum speed limit of 55mph (89kmh), Washington DC has the lowest speed limit in the United States.

But at 13:00 EST (18:00 BST) on Sunday, some of the world's fastest drivers will zoom past the capital's famous monuments and museums at speeds of up to 190mph (306kmh).

The 25 professional drivers competing in the event face 147 laps featuring seven crucial turns, making a total 250-mile course - a nod to the nation's anniversary.

The drivers will speed past the Washington Monument and museums on the National Mall, before passing a finish line with the US Capitol building in frame.

This video can not be played

The 's Helena Humphrey took a test drive of the track earlier in the week

Similar to Formula 1, the IndyCar series is a road race featuring open-wheel, single-seater cars.

But unlike F1, where teams design and build their own cars, the engines in IndyCars come exclusively from Chevrolet or Honda.

Organisers of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix say about 140,000 people are expected to attend, with many given free general admission tickets through a lottery.

However, premium packages were selling on Saturday for around $3,600 for a pair of passes, according to the 's US partner CBS.

The event has been a huge logistical and security lift for the city, and has led to widespread road closures, manholes being bolted down, and road resurfacing.

The Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which primarily runs domestic flights, has been under a three-hour airspace closure to accommodate the US military flyover.

In other events earlier this summer, Trump hosted an Ultimate Fighting Championship event on the White House lawn, as well as a fireworks show on 4 July.