P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Why Bolt’s Formula E cameo is only the start in conquering its final hurdle
Usain Bolt, the eight-time Olympic gold medal winner, participated in a publicity stunt driving an uprated version of Formula E’s Gen3 car in Mexico City recently. Despite feeling claustrophobic and having a minor panic attack, Bolt completed two laps and then attempted his most prolific race distance. While he spun the car on his first attempt, he clocked in a time of 5.22 seconds on his second attempt, slightly faster than his world record of 9.58 seconds set in 2009. Formula E sought to capitalize on Bolt’s star power to generate exposure ahead of the new season. Formula E’s CEO Jeff Dodds acknowledged that the sport needs to become more well-known and engage with a wider audience, despite having incredible cars, drivers, and locations. With only nine years of existence, Formula E is competing against motorsports that have been around for decades. However, the series’s co-founder, Alberto Longo, mentioned having 350 million fans worldwide.
