Belgian F1 Fans Stunned By Man Flying Over Track; Could This Be Mysterious ‘Jetpack Man’?

Formula One fans were stunned ahead of Saturday’s qualifying session for the Belgian Grand Prix when a man on a flying device flew at a low altitude over the track at a high rate of speed. 

ESPN F1 tweeted someone just flew over the circuit. The ten-second video shows the man on what appears to be a flyboard traveling very fast above the track, keeping up with a single-seater formula racing car. 

Somebody just flew over Spa 😳

(via @avoidingtmrw)pic.twitter.com/9615hfNUEc

— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) August 27, 2022

UK newspaper Daily Express said the man operating the flyboard was French inventor Franky Zapata. He said:

“I’ve done a lot of challenges from zero to 400 metres or with a u-turn. This is an area in which I feel comfortable with the flyboarder. 

“It accelerates very fast and turns very well. On the other hand, over long distances, such as here, with a very huge top speed, I don’t go beyond 200m/h. So it can be complicated. It’s always a pleasure to fly here. I love flying on F1 circuits.The view is amazing. 

“Of course I don’t have much time to admire the view. I have to stay focus on my turns. The flyboarder requires a lot of concentration. But the circuit is magnificent, the scenery is exceptional.”

Other fans at the Belgian GP captured video of Zapata flying above the racetrack. 

Franky Zapata Flyboard’u ile Belçika Grand Prix’de uçtu bundan bir tane de Sedat Peker’e lazım Greece Türkiye arası gidip gelir 😂😂 #BelgianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/oem2P7QoKI

— YİĞİTnc1907 (@nc_YIGIT1907) August 28, 2022

Franky Zapata Flying Men 😍 @circuitspa #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/Y0ReknXwLa

— DavidF1🇧🇪 (@davve2010) August 27, 2022

Zapata’s company develops and manufactures flyboards and jetpacks — some are capable of 125 mph and altitudes of nearly 10,000 feet.

The question remains if Zapata’s technology is the same being used in Los Angeles after commercial airline pilots have observed what they believe is a man with a jetpack. It was only June when a pilot approaching Los Angeles International Airport spotted “an object that might have resembled a jetpack.” FAA is still mystified about the numerous sightings and has no explanation.