Police are searching for a male driver after a police car chase in Preston, in Melbourne’s north, left a woman in a critical condition.

A driver sped off from police when they tried to pull over a car in Albert Street just after 5:00am (AEST).

Officers lost sight of the vehicle but it had crashed into a power pole a short distance away.

The male driver fled the scene, leaving behind his critically injured female passenger.

The woman has been taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with life threatening injuries.

Detectives from the Major Collision unit and Professional Standards Command are investigating.