Daniel Abt


Daniel Abt is a German racing driver. 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. He competed in the first four rounds of the currently-suspended 2019–20 Formula E season with ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport, however he was dismissed from the team after being found to be using a ringer driver in the sport's subsequent virtual races. He will be competing the remainder of the season in Ma Qinghua's seat at NIO 333 FE Team.

Career

ADAC Formel Masters

Abt was born in Kempten, Bavaria. In 2008, Abt switched to formula racing and competed in the ADAC Formel Masters for his father's team, Abt Sportsline. He started from the pole position four times and clinched a third and two second places as his best results. Finishing the season in eighth place of the standings he was defeated by his team-mate Markus Pommer, who finished fifth overall with one victory to his credit. In 2009, Abt contested his second season in the ADAC Formel Masters for Abt Sportsline and with eight race wins commandingly clinched the champion's title ahead of Klaus Bachler. He took seven pole positions and a total of ten podium results. With 224 points against 90 points he clearly prevailed in the internal duel against his team-mate René Binder.

Formula Three

After running in the German Formula Three Championship as a guest entrant for Performance Racing in 2009, he switched to the series in 2010 joining the championship-winning Van Amersfoort Racing team. During the season Abt prevailed against his team-mates Stef Dusseldorp and Willi Steindl and had chances of winning the championship title up to the last race weekend. In the end, he had to admit defeat to Tom Dillmann with a score of 112 points against 120 points, and with two race wins and a total of ten podium places finished as the overall runner-up. After the season, he competed for Signature at the prestigious Macau Grand Prix. Abt was leading the race ahead of his team-mates Edoardo Mortara and Laurens Vanthoor but lost control of his vehicle and retired after an accident.
In 2011, Abt joined the Formula 3 Euro Series grid for Signature, finishing the season in seventh place after taking four third places as his best results. In the team, he was defeated by Marco Wittmann and Vanthoor, who achieved second and sixth place. Ahead of Carlos Muñoz, who finished in position eight of the standings, Abt was the third-best driver of his team. In addition, Abt was entitled to points in the 2011 FIA Formula 3 International Trophy where he achieved fourth place. At the end of the year, he tested for Audi in a DTM car.

GP3 and GP2

After setting the fastest time on several occasions in GP3 tests for Lotus GP at the end of 2011, the racing team that had provided the champion and the runner-up the year before, the team gave him a cockpit for the 2012 GP3 Series season.
On 19 December 2012 Abt got a contract to join ART Grand Prix in the GP2 Series in 2013 together with James Calado. Abt struggled as a rookie and finished the season in 22nd with only eleven points to his name, but remained in the championship for 2014 by moving to the German Hilmer Motorsport squad alongside fellow GP3 runner-up Facu Regalia.

Formula E (2014–present)

On 13 February 2014 Abt was confirmed to also be racing in the inaugural Formula E season with his family associated team Audi Sport ABT alongside Audi's World Endurance Championship driver Lucas di Grassi.

2014–15

Having driven to 3rd on the podium in the inaugural Formula E race, Abt was penalised for illegal modifications on his car resulting being pushed down to 10th position. Abt achieved one podium finish, pole position and fastest lap in the 2014–15 season with 32 points and 11th place in the championship. Abt failed to live up to expectations in his debut season having scored 101 less than teammate Lucas Di Grassi having lacked consistency.

2017–18

Abt won his first race in Formula E in the 2018 Mexico City ePrix, after 38 race starts.

2019–20

In May 2020, Abt was suspended by the Audi team after a professional gamer played under his name in an esports version of the Formula E series. The announcement of his sacking came shortly after.
About a month later, Abt signed for the NIO 333 FE Team, replacing Ma Qinghua after travel restrictions disallowed the latter to travel to Berlin.

Additional information

From 2008 to 2010, Abt was a candidate of the Deutsche Post Speed Academy. As the Academy's overall winner in 2009 and 2010 he became "Germany's motorsport talent of the year." Since 2010, Abt has also been a member of Volkswagen's talent promotion programme.

Personal life

Besides Daniel Abt, other members of his family are involved in motorsport. His father, Hans-Jürgen, is the owner and principal of the Abt Sportsline team which is active in the DTM and other series. His uncle, Christian Abt, is a racing driver as well and was active in the DTM for a number of years.
Abt is managing director of Abt Lifestyle GmbH.

Racing record

Career summary

* Season still in progress.

Complete Formula 3 Euro Series results

YearEntrantChassisEngine123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627DCPoints
2011SignatureDallara F308/057VolkswagenLEC
1
Ret		LEC
2
11		LEC
3
9		HOC
1
4		HOC
2
7		HOC
3
6		ZAN
1
Ret		ZAN
2
8		ZAN
3
5		RBR
1
6		RBR
2
3		RBR
3
4		NOR
1
10		NOR
2
10		NOR
3
3		NÜR
1
12		NÜR
2
7		NÜR
3
7		SIL
1
5		SIL
2
5		SIL
3
5		VAL
1
10		VAL
2
10		VAL
3
7		HOC
1
5		HOC
2
3		HOC
3
6		7th150

Complete GP3 Series results

YearEntrant12345678910111213141516Points
2012Lotus GPCAT
FEA
13		CAT
SPR
6		MON
FEA
6		MON
SPR
3		VAL
FEA
6		VAL
SPR
2		SIL
FEA
4		SIL
SPR
Ret		HOC
FEA
7		HOC
SPR
2		HUN
FEA
2		HUN
SPR
11		SPA
FEA
1		SPA
SPR
5		MNZ
FEA
1		MNZ
SPR
2		2nd149.5

Complete Formula Renault 3.5 Series results

YearTeam1234567891011121314151617PosPoints
2012Tech 1 RacingALC
1		ALC
2		MON
1		SPA
1		SPA
2		NÜR
1		NÜR
2		MSC
1		MSC
2		SIL
1		SIL
2		HUN
1
18		HUN
2
24		LEC
1
Ret		LEC
2
18		CAT
1
16		CAT
2
Ret		34th0

Complete GP2 Series results

YearEntrant12345678910111213141516171819202122Points
2013ART Grand PrixSEP
FEA
Ret		SEP
SPR
16		BHR
FEA
14		BHR
SPR
7		CAT
FEA
11		CAT
SPR
8		MON
FEA
16		MON
SPR
22		SIL
FEA
15		SIL
SPR
Ret		NÜR
FEA
21		NÜR
SPR
18		HUN
FEA
24		HUN
SPR
14		SPA
FEA
16		SPA
SPR
16		MNZ
FEA
17		MNZ
SPR
22		MRN
FEA
13		MRN
SPR
DSQ		YMC
FEA
9		YMC
SPR
5		22nd11
2014Hilmer MotorsportBHR
FEA
13		BHR
SPR
13		CAT
FEA
Ret		CAT
SPR
12		MON
FEA
Ret		MON
SPR
17		RBR
FEA
17		RBR
SPR
23		SIL
FEA
10		SIL
SPR
11		HOC
FEA
20		HOC
SPR
15		HUN
FEA
5		HUN
SPR
5		SPA
FEA
8		SPA
SPR
5		MNZ
FEA
Ret		MNZ
SPR
10		SOC
FEA
Ret		SOC
SPR
13		YMC
FEA		YMC
SPR		16th27

Complete Formula E results

YearTeamChassisPowertrain1234567891011121314PosPoints
2014–15Audi Sport ABTSpark SRT01-eSRT01-eBEI
10		PUT
10		PDE
15		BUE
13†		MIA
3		LBH
15		MCO
Ret		BER
14		MSC
5		LON
Ret		LON
11		11th32
2015–16ABT Schaeffler Audi SportSpark SRT01-eABT Schaeffler FE01BEI
11		PUT
7		PDE
8		BUE
13		MEX
7		LBH
3		PAR
10		BER
2		LON
Ret		LON
2		7th68
2016–17ABT Schaeffler Audi SportSpark SRT01-eABT Schaeffler FE02HKG
Ret		MRK
6		BUE
7		MEX
7		MCO
7		PAR
13†		BER
6		BER
4		NYC
14†		NYC
Ret		MTL
4		MTL
6		8th67
2017–18Audi Sport ABT SchaefflerSpark SRT01-eAudi e-tron FE04HKG
5		HKG
DSQ		MRK
10		SCL
Ret		MEX
1		PDE
14		RME
4		PAR
7		BER
1		ZUR
13		NYC
2		NYC
3		5th120
2018–19Audi Sport ABT SchaefflerSpark SRT05eAudi e-tron FE05ADR
8		MRK
10		SCL
3		MEX
10		HKG
4		SYX
5		RME
18†		PAR
3		MCO
15		BER
6		BRN
6		NYC
6		NYC
5		7th95
2019–20Audi Sport ABT SchaefflerSpark SRT05eAudi e-tron FE06DIR
Ret		DIR
6		SCL
14		MEX
Ret		MRK
14		17th*8*
2019–20NIO 333 FE TeamSpark SRT05eNIO FE-005BER IBER IBER IIBER IIBER IIIBER III17th*8*

† Driver did not finish the race, but was classified as he completed over 90% of the race distance.
* Season still in progress.

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results