Audi retains Abt for Formula E season five 

Daniel Abt has been retained by the Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler Formula E squad for the fifth season of the all-electric championship. 

The German, who has claimed a breakthrough pair of wins this season in the Mexico and Berlin rounds, was out of contract at the end of the 2017-2018 campaign but Audi has opted to renew his deal to keep the team’s driver line-up unchanged for next season, with reigning champion Lucas di Grassi’s position already being confirmed. 

Abt won his home race in Berlin last time out by leading a one-two finish for the Audi squad and heads into this weekend’s inaugural Zurich e-Prix fourth in the drivers’ championship, nine points clear of di Grassi. 

“It was always part of the plan and was not influenced by his performance in Berlin,” team principal Allan McNish said. 

“Berlin just really cemented everything on it and we knew we should put that to bed so there were no unnecessary questions as he needs to focus on Zurich and New York.”

Abt also took first place win on the road in the second race in Hong Kong until later being disqualified from the race. 

“For me, it continues to be an honor to represent the four rings in Formula E,” Abt said. “I am delighted about the trust that Audi and the entire team places in me and am trying to give my all to reward this trust with good results.”

Meanwhile, DTM’s Nico Mueller has been named as Audi’s test and reserve driver and will play a supporting role carrying out simulator preparations in Audi’s new e-tron FE05, ahead of the ‘Gen2’ car’s introduction for 2018-19.