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Thursday, 28 March 2024

Daniel Abt confirms he's leaving Audi over use of ringer in virtual race

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Daniel Abt confirms he's leaving Audi over use of ringer in virtual race
Daniel Abt confirms he's leaving Audi over use of ringer in virtual race

Daniel Abt parts company with the Audi Formula E team after letting a professional gamer impersonate him in an official esports race.

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT VIDEO SHOWS: VIDEO STATEMENT BY GERMAN DRIVER DANIEL ABT SHOWS: UNKNOWN LOCATION, GERMANY (MAY 26, 2020) (YOUTUBE/DANIEL ABT - NO RESALES/ MUST ON-SCREEN COURTESY 'YOUTUBE/DANIEL ABT') 1.

(SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN DRIVER, DANIEL ABT, SAYING: "It was also very important to me, to say, that it was never my intention to let another drive for me to get a result and keep quiet about it later on just to make me look better.

Because I do not.

These points, this result, is irrelevant to me, personally.

It has no impacts in any way.

I'm not getting any money for it.

Nothing of the sort.

Today I was informed in a conversation with Audi that our ways will split from now on.

We won't be racing together in Formula E anymore and the cooperation has ended.

It is a pain which I have never felt in this way in my life.

It was extremely important to me to take the chance here and now to tell you how it was and what happened and to simultaneously apologise to my family, to my friends, to Audi, to my partners, to Formula E, to UNICEF, and of course to all fans who have supported me over the years with all of my heart." 2.

WHITE FLASH 3.

(SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN DRIVER, DANIEL ABT, SAYING: "It was also very important to me, to say, that it was never my intention to let another driver for me to get a result and keep quiet about it later on just to make me look better.

Because I do not.

These points, this result, is irrelevant to me, personally.

It has no impacts in any way.

I'm not getting any money for it.

Nothing of the sort." 4.

WHITE FLASH 5.

(SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN DRIVER, DANIEL ABT, SAYING: "In the end there is only this to say.

You make mistakes in life.

I feel like I couldn't fall any deeper.

I'm on the ground but I'll get up again.

I will come back.

I surely need some time for myself right now, to reflect on things, to think about my future.

But I believe that it will always continue and there will always be a way.

I would, of course, be extremely happy if you accepted my apology, supported me on my way in the future again and we will see each other again, soon." STORY: Daniel Abt parted company with the Audi Formula E team on Tuesday (May 26) after letting a professional gamer impersonate him in an official esports race.

The manufacturer had earlier suspended the German driver after the weekend cheating controversy.

"Today I was informed in a conversation with Audi that our ways will split from now on, we won't be racing together in Formula E any more and the cooperation has ended," he said in a 15-minute video on YouTube.

The 27-year-old denied seeking any sporting gain in Saturday's fifth round of the all-electric series' virtual 'Race at Home Challenge' and said he had simply wanted "to create a funny story for the fans".

He said what happened had been openly discussed beforehand on his Twitch live stream in front of 1,000 followers and no money had changed hands.

"Looking back, we did not think enough about the seriousness and the consequences of the situation.

We made a huge mistake there," said Abt, who has paid 10,000 euros ($10,956) to charity.

"It was never my intention to let another driver drive for me to get a result and keep quiet about it later on just to make me look better." Audi said in an earlier statement that "integrity, transparency and consistent compliance with applicable rules" were top priorities.

"This applies to all activities the brand is involved in without exception," added the carmaker.

The punishment, for something that happened in an online series designed to provide entertainment in the absence of real racing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was seen as an over-reaction by some of Abt's track rivals.

Formula E's championship leader Antonio Felix da Costa feared the sport was losing sight of what mattered.

"Do we accept cheating?

No, but who never cheated at Monopoly?" said the Portuguese on Twitter, before asking people to put things in perspective.

DS Techeetah team mate and double Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne said on his feed: "After all this (is) a game that should be taken seriously, but it's a GAME." Abt, Audi's first Formula E race winner, apparently finished third in Saturday's race on the virtual Berlin Tempelhof layout but rivals expressed doubts at the time about who was racing.

Mercedes driver Stoffel Vandoorne, who finished second, felt something was amiss and tried to call Abt on his mobile without success.

The esports series features all of the regular Formula E drivers competing from home and visible in their simulators online, but Abt's face was hidden.

Organisers can check the IP addresses of competitors to ensure they are who they purport to be, with pro gamer Lorenz Hoerzing later revealed to be Abt's 'ringer' and barred from future involvement.

"I feel like I couldn't fall any deeper," said Abt, apologising again.

"I'm on the ground but I will get up again.

I will come back." (Production: Peter Bullock)

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