Usain Bolt Crammed Himself Into A Formula E Car — One Of The Few Things Faster Than Him — And Took A Lap In Mexico

A single-seater race car isn't typically designed with someone the height of Usain Bolt in mind, but that didn't stop the Jamaican sprinting legend from cramming himself into a Formula E car and throwing down a lap around the circuit in Mexico City.

If you're unfamiliar with Formula E, a simple way to think of it is Formula 1, but with all-electric drive trains, instead of V6 turbo-hybrid power units seen in F1. That's an oversimplification, but it's a fun series that showcases interesting technology and usually produces some entertaining racing.

The series introduced some new cars last season, which are referred to as Gen3. However, there is also a prototype car known as the GENBETA, and that is the one available for Bolt to jump in for a lap.

It makes sense. Bolt is known for his speed. So is the GENBETA car. It broke the indoor land-speed record last summer in London with McLaren's Jake Hughes behind the wheel.

Also, Bolt; electricity. Get it?

Perfect match.

Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt drives the Formula E racing car GENBETA before the 2024 Mexico City E-Prix. (Photo by Jam Media/Getty Images)

Bolt Threw Down Some Laps Ahead Of The Mexico City ePrix

So, as part of the festivities for the Mexico City ePrix — the first round of the 2023-24 Formula E season — Bolt wedged his 6-foot-5 frame into the cockpit of a GENBETA car.

"For me, the first impression was I was excited. When I got in there I was very claustrophobic," Bolt told ex-F1 driver and Formula E commentator David Coulthard after sitting in the car for the first time.

You can understand why. A lot of the fellas in Formula E are a little on the shorter side.

Nonetheless, he hopped in again for some laps around the Formula E circuit at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez. He even got to do a practice start. That's the perfect way to get a taste of the instant torque that comes from a Formula E car.

"This is the first time in my life I'm comfortable to say something's faster than me," the Olympic champ said after hopping out of the GENBETA car.

After Bolt did his show runs, the Formula E boys hit the track. Porsche's Pascal Wehrlein took a checkered flag in the reopening round of the season.

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