David Coulthard blown away by Formula E’s futuristic GEN4 car in Monaco
Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard was left astonished after driving Formula E’s new GEN4 car around Monaco, describing its acceleration and performance as unlike anything he had ever experienced in motorsport.
Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard was left stunned after taking Formula E’s brand-new GEN4 car for a demonstration run around the streets of Monaco this morning, describing the experience as unlike anything he had ever felt in his racing career.
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The two-time Monaco Grand Prix winner completed four laps of the iconic Circuit de Monaco on Sunday morning ahead of Round 10 of the Monaco E-Prix, giving fans a first glimpse of the next generation of Formula E machinery set to debut next season.
“I’ve never experienced that in my life”
Coulthard, who raced in 246 Formula 1 Grands Prix and claimed 13 victories with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, admitted he was genuinely surprised by the car’s performance - particularly its acceleration.
“The most acceleration I’ve ever experienced around Monaco, and I’ve won here twice,” he said after climbing out of the car.
The new GEN4 single-seater is expected to become the fastest Formula E car ever built.
Featuring permanent all-wheel drive, over 800 horsepower and a top speed of more than 335 km/h, the car can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 1.8 seconds.
According to Coulthard, the sensation through Monaco’s famous tunnel was especially unforgettable.
“I’ve driven through that tunnel thousands of times, but never like that. The lights were going past at warp speed - I’ve never experienced that in my life.”
A major leap forward for Formula E
Formula E has evolved dramatically since its launch in 2014, but Coulthard believes the GEN4 represents a completely new era for electric racing.
“You can’t compare GEN3 to GEN4 at all,” he said.
The former F1 star also praised the car’s handling and stability around Monaco’s narrow and unforgiving streets, noting that the all-wheel-drive system creates levels of grip unlike anything he experienced during his Formula 1 career.
Despite only driving a handful of laps, Coulthard said the car still had enormous untapped potential in the hands of professional Formula E drivers.
Formula E looks towards the future
The GEN4 demonstration became one of the standout moments of the Monaco E-Prix weekend, highlighting Formula E’s growing technological ambitions as the championship continues to close the gap to Formula 1 in terms of performance.
The new generation car will officially debut during the 2026/27 Formula E season and is already being described as the most advanced machine in the series’ history.