Formula E driver Daniel Abt uses professional gamer to compete for him in esports race
Last updated on .From the section Motorsport
Formula E driver Daniel Abt was disqualified and ordered to pay £8,900 to charity for getting a professional gamer to compete under his name in an official esports race.
Organisers also took away all points won to date by the 27-year-old German in the Race at Home Challenge series.
Lorenz Horzing, who competed for Abt, finished third in Saturday's race behind Britain's Oliver Rowland and Belgian ex-F1 driver Stoffel Vandoorne.
Abt later apologised.
"I did not take it as seriously as I should have," he said.
"I am especially sorry about this because I know how much work has gone into this project on the part of the Formula E organisation. I am aware that my offence has a bitter aftertaste but it was never meant with any bad intention."
Vandoorne suspected Abt was not driving and French racer Jean-Eric Vergne asked the German to turn his video on in the next race so they could confirm it was him.
