Breaking news
Formula E
Audi names Rast as Abt's Formula E replacement
Two-time DTM champion Rene Rast will replace Daniel Abt at Audi for the six remaining races of the 2019-20 Formula E season at the Tempelhof Airport in Berlin.
Matt Kew
Edited: Jun 19, 2020, 8:05 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The series revealed a six-race programme, which will comprise of three double-header events on three different track layouts at the airfield and is set to take place over nine days.
Abt, who won the 2018 Mexico and Berlin E-Prix, was effectively sacked by Audi after he had a sim racer take his place in the FE Race at Home Challenge Esports competition.
The manufacturer has now announced that 33-year-old Rast will contest the August 5-6, 8-9, 12-13 races - which will be held behind closed doors.
Rast said: “I’ve been following Formula E very closely for a long time and am now looking forward to this new challenge.
“The demands on the drivers in Formula E are high: in addition to pure speed, it’s also a question of efficiency, battery management and the perfect strategy - and all of this on tight city circuits, where things are usually quite turbulent.
“But, with the testing at the beginning of July and my experience in the simulator, I will try to be as well prepared as possible when I arrive in Berlin.
“And with six races in nine days, I’ll have plenty of opportunity to learn quickly.”
Rast expressed his interest in the vacant seat earlier this month, but could not confirm plans to race until the revised FE calendar was released to ensure there were no clashes with DTM.
He is set to test the current Audi e-tron FE06 car with teammate Lucas di Grassi at the Lausitzring in early July.
Rast entered the 2016 Berlin E-Prix, held on the city streets, for Team Aguri and qualified 13th before retiring from the race after a collision with Bruno Senna - his first single-seater race since competing in German Formula BMW in 2004.
Dieter Gass, head of Audi Motorsport, added: “As a two-time DTM champion and long-time Audi driver, Rene was naturally on the shortlist from the very beginning.
“In the past, he has often proved how fast he is in a new series without having to get used to it.
“It’s nice that there are no overlaps between DTM and Formula E so that Rene can compete in both series for us.
“With six final races in Berlin, our team still has everything to play for in the championship.”
Although Rast has not yet been confirmed beyond the Berlin races, he will available for the full-time race seat in 2021 following the announcement that Audi will quit the DTM.
Mahindra is yet to announce who will partner Jerome d’Ambrosio for the six races after Pascal Wehrlein revealed in a social media post he had left the team with immediate effect.
The ex-Manor and Sauber Formula 1 driver is expected to sign for Porsche and replace Neel Jani alongside Andre Lotterer.
Daniel Abt, Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler, Audi e-tron FE06
Photo by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Images
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Berlin finale could lead to more retirements
Next article FE’s 2020-21 World Championship calendar has no 2020 dates
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Matt Kew
Marko suggests Perez's improved F1 form because 2025 contract at stake
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Marko suggests Perez's improved F1 form because 2025 contract at stake
Russell explains how low-fuel runs expose Mercedes F1 inconsistency
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Russell explains how low-fuel runs expose Mercedes F1 inconsistency
Leclerc: No answer for "once in a season" Japan F1 qualifying struggle
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Leclerc: No answer for "once in a season" Japan F1 qualifying struggle
More from
René Rast
"Would have ended very differently": Luck for van der Linde in horror crash
DTM
DTM
Norisring
"Would have ended very differently": Luck for van der Linde in horror crash
Rene Rast announces DTM exit on eve of 2025 finale
DTM
DTM
Hockenheim
Rene Rast announces DTM exit on eve of 2025 finale
Two penalties cost Rast DTM points lead heading into season finale
DTM
DTM
Red Bull Ring
Two penalties cost Rast DTM points lead heading into season finale
More from
Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler
Rast "proven wrong" by "unexpected" win in DTM comeback year
DTM
DTM
Imola
Rast "proven wrong" by "unexpected" win in DTM comeback year
Imola DTM: Audi's Rast claims first pole since return
DTM
DTM
Imola
Imola DTM: Audi's Rast claims first pole since return
Rast laments "difficult" Portimao weekend after point-less DTM return
DTM
DTM
Algarve
Rast laments "difficult" Portimao weekend after point-less DTM return
Latest news
Renger van der Zande moves to IMSA’s LMP2 class full-time with Tower Motorsports
IMSA
IMSA IMSA
Renger van der Zande moves to IMSA’s LMP2 class full-time with Tower Motorsports
Nick Sanchez will compete for 2027 NASCAR Truck title with McAnally-Hilgemann
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Homestead
1 min
Nick Sanchez will compete for 2027 NASCAR Truck title with McAnally-Hilgemann
Why Corvette’s new LMGT3 champion Jonny Edgar has a bright future
WEC
WEC WEC
Monza
4 min
Why Corvette’s new LMGT3 champion Jonny Edgar has a bright future
Jack Miller explains what he wants to achieve in WorldSBK after MotoGP exit
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
35 min
Jack Miller explains what he wants to achieve in WorldSBK after MotoGP exit
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe