Rast replaces Abt for the remainder of season six

Two-time DTM champion Rene Rast will replace Daniel Abt at Audi for the remainder of the 2019-20 Formula E season.

Abt was suspended by Audi after hiring a professional eSports driver to replace him in the x round of the Race At Home Challenge.

Rast will replace the FE race winner, running alongside Lucas Di Grassi at the six Berlin E-Prix that will conclude the season.

“I’ve been following Formula E very closely for a long time and now looking forward to this new challenge,” Rast said.

“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’ll 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 joined Audi in 2009, taking success with the manufacturer in multiple championships. Most recently, the 33-year-old claimed his second DTM title with the team.

He made a one-off Formula E apperance in 2016, standing in for Antonio Felix Da Costa at the second running of the Berlin E-Prix. However, this running of the event took place at the downtown street circuit rather than at Tempelhof.

“As a two-time DTM champion and long-time Audi driver, Rene was naturally on the shortlist from the very beginning,” said Head of Audi Motorsport, Dieter Gass.

“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 races in Berlin, our team still has everything to play for in the championship.”