Amazon’s Fire tablets are also discounted, The Apple Watch SE is $50 off for the first time at Target, Plus, get a set of Sony wireless earbuds for just $68, You can still get a set of AirPods for just $100, Plus, check out today’s new deal on the Ring Floodlight Cam, Amazon’s Fire tablet sale takes up to $70 off select models, Discounts across the board for Amazon’s tablet, Samsung’s Galaxy S20 is down to $650 right now, Sign up for the He’s one of four drivers to have run in every Formula E race since the series’s inception in 2014. Formula E’s Daniel Abt says he was just trying to be funny. As a result, Abt says he thought it would be a “funny move if a sim racer” drove for him, according to the English subtitles. Abt said Tuesday that he thought the idea would be funny and that he had planned to release a video about the whole ruse. Instead, the 18-year old Hoerzing was at the wheel. We bring sports news that matters to your inbox, to help you stay informed and get a winning edge. “We did not think enough about the seriousness and the consequences of the situation.” The driver says he made a “huge mistake.”. “I didn’t take it as seriously as I should have. Just last month, NASCAR driver Kyle Larson was fired from his team for using the n-word on a Twitch stream while competing in a sim race. “Honestly, do you want to drive the race instead of me, man?” he asks Hoerzing, who laughs in response. That would be super funny.”, Abt goes on to explain that it was “never [his] intention to let another driver drive for [him]” to make him look better and that his plan was to release a video “unwind[ing]” the scheme at some point. “No joke, no joke,” Abt says. "It was extremely important to me to take this opportunity to tell you 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 the fans who supported me over the years.". It gave Formula E fans something to watch during lockdown while also raising money for UNICEF. “Let’s actually think about this. Audi has dropped driver Daniel Abt in the all-electric racing series Formula E after he had a pro sim driver surreptitiously race for him during a virtual competition over the weekend. “I believe that, even if it does not feel good now, one should not forget that together, we achieved the first Formula E victory for Audi, for a German driver, for me,” he says in the video. In a video last night, Abt apologised and insisted it was simply a joke that backfired and he had no intention of cheating. The deception really started to unravel after Hoerzing finished third, meaning Abt was supposed to show up for the standard post-race interview with the top three drivers. He blames the media for painting him as a cheater “without giving [him] a chance to personally talk about it.”, “Shortly after the race, I realized myself that it did not end there and it suddenly went in a direction which I, myself, had not ever been able to even imagine in my dreams,” Abt says. Organizers of the race were reportedly able to verify that Abt was not racing based on Hoerzing’s IP address. But he didn’t; Rowland and Vandoorne’s Zoom feeds were instead placed next to a black box with Abt’s name, and the broadcast hosts never even attempted to interview the Audi driver. Audi drops driver for secretly using a ringer to compete in virtual race, Plus, get $50 off the Apple Watch SE. 2:07 pm ET, Premiere League Clubs Cleared For Full Contact Training, Icing kicker backfires badly for Va. Tech; Liberty now 7-0, Cowboys admit to whiffing on T.J. Watt in 2017 draft, Cowboys' QB Garrett Gilbert to start against Steelers. On Tuesday morning, Audi announced that Abt was suspended. Abt apologized after he was caught. Abt had someone even appear on the drivers’ group Zoom call under the name “Daniel Abt” dressed in Audi red, but with a microphone blocking his face — a noticeable departure considering Abt’s lively presence on his personal streams of the previous races: Hoerzing led most of the race in Abt’s virtual car, but he came into contact with Mercedes-Benz driver Stoffel Vandoorne, allowing Nissan driver Oliver Rowland to take the win. But Abt’s situation is the first to really brush up against the issue of cheating. Abt was supposed to be competing in the fifth round of Formula E’s online sim racing series, which started up in April alongside virtual substitute series from Formula One, NASCAR, and IndyCar. Other drivers in the race became suspicious of Abt's performance after he qualified in second place and finished in third place in the Formula E Race at Home Challenge. Vergne also doubted whether he was racing, as his camera was switched off. "I would like to apologize to Formula E, all of the fans, my team and my fellow drivers for having called in outside help during the race on Saturday," Abt said in a statement following the race. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. All Rights Reserved. Furious Audi chiefs have now responded by axing the 27-year-old with immediate effect. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click here. Daniel Abt (born 3 December 1992) is a German racing driver. At the time Vandoorne said: "Really not happy here because that was not Daniel driving the car himself.". During his portion of the interview, Vandoorne said was “questioning if it was really Daniel in the car.”. Abt explains in the video that he had viewed these races more as entertainment for the fans and less as serious competition. Formula E Audi driver Daniel Abt was disqualified from a recent eSports race and fined €10,000 after using a ringer to participate in the event. 6-keys: media/spln/other/reg/free/stories, at Formula E launched an investigation and discovered his IP address was incorrect and placed 18-year-old Hoerzing at the wheel. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Abt is not the first driver to wind up causing real-world consequences for himself during these online competitions. Formula E is currently suspended due to the COVID-19 outbreak. He directly apologized for this on the following day and accepted the disqualification," Audi said in a statement. Formula E Audi driver Daniel Abt was disqualified from a recent eSports race and fined €10,000 after using a ringer to participate in the event. Audi has dropped driver Daniel Abt in the all-electric racing series Formula E after he had a pro sim driver surreptitiously race for him during a virtual competition over the weekend. This is something other big gaming leagues have already tried to prevent during the pandemic by implementing rules around screen recording as well as forcing players to use webcams — presumably with a clear shot of their faces. It was a feeling of 'this could be something cool'. Incredibly, the German was disqualified from the virtual Berlin E-Prix and fined €10,000 … Formula E ended up checking IP addresses and determined that Abt wasn't driving. DANIEL ABT has been sacked by the Audi Formula E team after cheating in an online Esports race. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, Daniel Abt has been suspended by his Audi Formula E team for letting a pro Esports racer take his place, The German was disqualified from the virtual Berlin E-Prix and fined £9,000, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. He added: "Please ask Daniel Abt to put his Zoom next time he's driving, because like Stoffel said, I'm pretty sure he wasn't in.". "We won't be racing together in Formula E any more and the cooperation has ended. This initially raised suspicions because Abt had previously struggled to compete in the earlier rounds of the virtual championship. Report: WR Tate will not travel with Giants in Week 9. "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. But Abt had tapped 18-year-old Lorenz Hoerzing, who has been competing in the sim racer section of Formula E’s events, to run in his place. I accept it and I will carry all the consequences for what I have done. He’s also the son of Hans-Jürgen Abt, who runs the company that oversees the Audi Formula E team. "Daniel Abt did not drive his car in qualifying and the race at the fifth event of the Race at Home Challenge on May 23 himself, but let a professional sim-racer do so," Audi said. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. He said: "We had a conversation and the idea came up that it would be a funny move if a sim racer basically drove for me, to show the other, real drivers, what he is capable of. "We wanted to document it to create a funny story for the fans. Later in the day, Abt released a 14-minute video about the scandal where he announced that he “won’t be racing” with the Formula E team anymore. "We talked about it and how to make it happen and how to unwind it in a video afterwards. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Abt has been disqualified from the race, fined €10,000 and … "It simply was an idea. I'm especially sorry about this, because I know how much work has gone into this project on the part of the Formula E organization. He was also stripped of his sixth place finish in an FE Challenge race. On Tuesday, Audi decided to suspend Abt for his actions during the Formula E Race at Home Challenge. He has competed in such series as the German Formula Three Championship, the GP3 Series, the GP2 Series, and won the 2009 ADAC Formel Masters championship. "We made a huge mistake and I stand by this mistake. I am aware that my offense has a bitter aftertaste, but it was never meant with any bad intention.". "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. We did not think about the seriousness and the consequences of the situation. The Audi Formula E driver Daniel Abt has been found guilty of using a ringer to drive for him in the Formula E esport championship. Week 9 injuries: Watkins ruled out; McCaffrey ready? "Integrity, transparency and consistent compliance with applicable rules are top priorities for Audi—this applies to all activities the brand is involved in without exception. Vandoorne vented even more on his personal Twitch channel following the race and even tried to call Abt while streaming, but the Audi driver did not pick up. Abt, who has been in Formula E since the first race in 2014, said: "Today I was informed in a conversation with Audi that our ways will split from now on. The sim racer hasn't got any money from me, either. Abt, who had qualified in second place and finished third last Saturday, was quickly rumbled by fellow racers Stoffle Vandoorne and two-time FE champion Jean-Eric Vergne. He currently competes in Formula E with ABT Schaeffler Audi … 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. I'm not getting any money from it. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Covering the impact of coronavirus on the sports world. He also says he didn’t pay Hoerzing, and claims that not using a VPN to hide the Austrian sim racer’s IP address is proof that they weren’t trying to cover it up. “We wanted to document it and create a funny story for the fans with it.”, He even included footage and audio from a practice session where he proposed the idea to Hoerzing. That was our idea on the day and our thought. (Hoerzing has since been suspended from the sim racing series as a result.) For this reason, Audi Sport has decided to suspend Daniel Abt with immediate effect.". (The “Abt” surname is even part of the team’s full name, Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler.). © 2004-2020 CBS Interactive. I'm pretty sure he wasn't in," two-time Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne said during the race. Incredibly, the German was disqualified from the virtual Berlin E-Prix and fined €10,000 after he let professional Esports sim racer, Lorenz Hoerzing, take his place. View our online Press Pack. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. After an investigation, it was determined that professional gamer and e-sim racer Lorenz Hoerzing -- not Abt -- was actually behind the wheel of the virtual car in the race. I’m especially sorry about this, because I know how much work has gone into this project on the part of the Formula E organisation,” he said in a statement this weekend. The Formula E sim series was not only meant to give fans something to watch during the pandemic, but it was also supposed to keep the drivers and teams connected, all while raising funds for UNICEF. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: other | pageType: stories | He has also been told to pay €10,000 to charity as a result. The Race at Home Challenge was created in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. "I didn't take it as seriously as I should have. Abt’s removal from the team is striking. "Daniel Abt did not drive his car in qualifying and the race at the fifth event of the Race at Home Challenge on May 23 himself, but let a professional sim-racer do so. "The result was irrelevant to me. Hoerzing participates in the FE Challenge series and has been banned from the Race Challenge series as of a result of the infraction. It is a pain which I have never felt in my life. ", Ryan Giggs is a sex addict...I feel sorry for him, says brother Rhodri, Wimbledon vs Wigan OFF next weekend with AFC squad decimated by coronavirus, Watch Wayne Rooney's brother John emulates legend with epic goal from OWN HALF, WWE legend Brock Lesnar shocks fans with a new look as he sports a goatee, Salah says Liverpool 'deserve the title' after SEVEN games with City only rivals, ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Abt was participating in a Zoom feed of the event, but his face was blocked by a microphone. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. newsletter, virtual substitute series from Formula One, NASCAR, and IndyCar, using the n-word on a Twitch stream while competing in a sim race. section: | slug: formula-e-racer-daniel-abt-suspended-by-audi-after-using-ringer-in-virtual-race | sport: other | route: article_single.us | DANIEL ABT has been sacked by the Audi Formula E team after cheating in an online Esports race.