For a man used to running 100 metres in less than 10 seconds, Usain Bolt found himself going a bit quicker than usual ahead of Formula E’s season-opener earlier this month.
The eight-time Olympic gold medal winner was the all-electric championship’s star attraction in Mexico City as he took to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez aboard the Genbeta car – an uprated version of the current Gen3 machine. All organised as part of a publicity stunt, there’s no denying that having the world’s fastest man in the world’s fastest electric single-seater certainly had a nice ring to it.
Despite needing a moment to compose himself as the claustrophobic confines of the car caused something of a minor panic attack for the Jamaican, he completed two laps before seeing what he could do across his most prolific race distance.
Given his lack of time in the car it was perhaps unsurprising when he lost control at the first time of asking, spinning the car broadside from a standing start, before posting a better run on the second effort – 5.22s to be exact, a smidge quicker than his 9.58s world record which he set with his own two feet in 2009.
At one stage in his illustrious career Bolt was one of, if not the, biggest sporting stars in the world. While his stardom might not be as prevalent as it once was after retiring in 2017 – finding himself diminished to starring in adverts for a well-known printer company recently – he remains a household name and someone who grabs headlines wherever he goes. It was this star quality which Formula E’s management was banking on to help generate exposure ahead of the new season.
Ever the showman, Bolt stated: “This is the first time I’ve ever said that the Genbeta car for me, is actually faster than me. I’ve never, ever said something is faster than me.” The remark prompted laughs from the gathered media and Formula E personnel, including championship CEO Jeff Dodds, who had joined Bolt on stage for the press conference.
The former COO of Virgin Media has only been in his new position officially since June last year, with the Mexico race his fourth event at the helm, yet in that short period of time he has already started to move closer towards his vision and put Formula E on the map.
Source: Autosport