More than a game

About two and a half months ago, I was one of those Formula 1 fans who travelled to Melbourne to catch the season opener of the 2020 Formula 1 season. While preparing for Friday’s Practice sessions, news came that the race will be cancelled. By that evening, there were several simulator, past and current drivers from different racing categories came together to put up a ‘Not the Aus GP’ virtual race for racing fans. Over teh weeks, different eRacing championships were set up to keep fans entertained in this difficult time for every one.

One of the virtual racing series that has since sprung up was the one organised by ABB Formula E. The Race At Home Challenge was organised, with two racing categories – one for professional Formula E drivers (Drivers category) and another one for simulator drivers (Challenge category). This was done in support of UNICEF, where the partnership between Formula E team, drivers and their donors drive in support of children affected by coronavirus around the world. It is so well organised, that I found myself tuned in for all virtual races.

Although the racing was done on a simulator game, the Race At Home Challenge was more than just a game. In particular the Challenge category featured different simulator racers, many from different backgrounds. The stories featured really inspire me that simulator racing could probably be the only platform for so many different people to come together to race on the same level playing ground. This is more than just a game. It brought people together.

Yet, the most recent virtual race in Berlin (Round 5) probably divided the fan base more than it did unite. To cut the long story short, during the qualifying round for the Driver’s category, Formula E drivers race in turn to clock the fastest lap to qualify on the front of the starting grid. At different points of qualifying, different drivers pip each other to clock in the fastest time. Daniel Abt, who was only racing in his second virtual race, taking pole position. Then as other drivers punch in their times, no one could topple Abt. It took a season gamer Stoffel Vandoorne to eventually snatched pole position from Abt. It was an impressive performance from both Vandoorne, a regular to take pole position, but more importantly, for Abt who was only racing on a simulator for the second time!

What was even more impressive that the ‘rookie’ at simulator racing actually took first position after the end of the first lap. He remain in control, constantly jockeying for position with Vandoorne, with Oliver Rowland capitalising on a nudge between both drivers to take the first position. It was fantastic racing. The fight for first position continued between Rowland and Vandoorne all the way to the end of the race which ended with Rowland and Vandoorne taking P1 and P2, respectively and Abt finishing just over 3.5 seconds behind in P3.

During the ‘podium’ interviews, that is when every thing turned from exciting racing to conspiracy to the biggest news to shock the Formula E world. In the interviews, Vandoorne, who had a good on-track fight with Abt in the early part of the race made a comment “I’m questioning if it was really Daniel (Abt) in the car”. This, while Abt manages a poor connection during the interviews, during which his screen remained black throughout the interviews. This started quite a bit of speculation, but it was largely scattered chatter.

A day after the racing was completed, on 24th May, it was revealed that Abt was indeed not behind the wheel during the race. It was not him who was racing in qualifying and the race. Some of the evidence include video footage and tracking of IP. In a tweet, from Formula E (still available at time of writing), a video of the driver’s face cam clearly shows a microphone obstructing the line of sight of Daniel Abt’s camera, making him unidentifiable from the camera. During the period of the race, Vandoorne even called Abt on the phone, but he did not respond. Abt’s own Twitch stream did not match up with the Formula E feed.

After considering evidence they have on hand, the organisers decided to disqualify Abt from the race and slapped him with a fine of €10,000 which will be donated to charity. Abt came out to apologise for this.

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. I didn’t take it as seriously as I should have. 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. I am aware that my offence has a bitter aftertaste, but it was never meant with any bad intention.

Statement from Daniel Abt

Abt commented that he wanted to give professional simulator races an opportunity to race against actual Formula E drivers. Whether this was the correct platform to do it, the position was clear that. While the majority of the fan base accepted his apology and noted that it has indeed left a ‘bitter aftertaste’, many thought the story would end here and we can all move on.

Audi was stuck between a rock and a hard place. While Abt was already disqualified and fined, this scandal could potentially not be at all good for Audi’s image. Audi, thus decided to suspend Abt, who was with them since their first year in Formula E in 2014.

However, the news that divided the Formula E community broke two days later on 26th May. Audi Sport, the team that Abt races for, released a statement that they will suspend Abt with immediate effect. In a video statement released by Abt after his suspension, he commented that he did this in good fun and did not intend to benefit from the race position, neither did he intend to keep quiet about this joke.

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. For this reason, Audi Sport has decided to suspend Daniel Abt with immediate effect.

Statement from Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler

Racing fans erupted with many taking sides. A few Formula E drivers even came out in support of Abt, some, later removing their tweets (probably because it’s not good PR for their own brand). The most vocal was fellow driver Antonio Felix da Costa, who said goodbye to Twitch, but was back racing again on Twitch a few hours later and will continue to compete in simulator racing, not just for Formula E but also Le Mans.

While most considered this as just a game, I believe that the platform used was wrong, whether it was career ending wrong is not for me to decide, but Audi thought that it was and it is not compatible with the image of Audi Sport. As for me, I think the punishment that Daniel had received from the organisers Formula E was enough, for Audi to fire him is totally within the prerogative of the leadership of Audi Sport. If you were to ask me, I would say, organisations have values they need to uphold, and an employee of the organisation, you stick to those values if you want to keep your job. I don’t think that Audi should fire Abt, but if they do, I can’t argue otherwise.

This is more than just a game. The platform is a game, but the intention and commitment from the organisers and other drivers is not a game that can just be thrown around all in the name of good fun. Abt treated it like a game, and the consequence he received is befitting of that that teaches him to see it otherwise. If he had done this privately in his own Twitch channel, with no sponsors or team names involved, this would have all ended well and he can also showcase the talents of simulator drivers, which was his intention. But in an international sporting event, with the names of so many organisations attached to it, definitely the wrong platform to prove a point in such a manner.

I hope to see Abt come back again stronger, be it in Formula E or in other sporting categories. Just this time remember, when representing a brand and organisation, whatever you do, it is more than a game.