Formula E: NIO Signs Abt to Replace Ma at Berlin

Daniel Abt was dropped from the Audi fold last month after using a sim racer to take his place in the Formula E Race at Home Challenge.

Audi have since promoted double DTM champion René Rast to their FE team for the Berlin races.

However, Abt has been given a second chance in FE, after being signed by backmarkers NIO to replace Ma Qinghua. NIO announced recently that Ma would not race in Berlin due to being unable to travel from his home country China thanks to domestic Chinese travel restrictions.

Ma will be joined by several members of the NIO 333 FE Team, who also cannot travel from the team’s home country of China for the same reasons.

Despite this however, Ma is expected to be retained for the 2020/21 Formula E season.

Ma Qinghua at NIO

A statement from NIO 333 said, “The team made this decision with careful consideration and have inquired with key figures of the Formula E paddock.”

Vincent Wang, the NIO 333 team CEO, added: “When the possibility of signing Daniel for the Berlin finale was presented to me, it was an exciting prospect.

“As the saying goes in the eastern world, ‘a prodigy who returns is more precious than gold’, but the controversies surrounding him during the Race at Home Challenge reached quite a high level and will bring two opposite opinions.

“In the end, after discussing with some key figures of the paddock, we have decided to give Daniel an opportunity to return to Formula E.

“We welcome him with open arms into the team, we hope the home hero will redouble our efforts to finish this extraordinary season in style!”

Abt said of the signing, “I always loved racing and Formula E, therefore the opportunity to race in the final six races, my home races, and continue my record of competing in every single Formula E race is very exciting.

“I have been working with a leading manufacturer for the last three years, therefore, I have a lot of experience and input for the team.

“I will do everything I can to achieve results together with Oliver [Turvey, NIO 333 team-mate].”

NIO are currently last in the championship, with neither Turvey nor Ma having scored any points in the 5 races so far held in the 2019/20 Formula E season. However the team is in essence the same one that took Nelson Piquet Jr to the title in Season 1, under the guise of China Racing/NEXTEV TCR.

Formula E returns with a Berlin sextuple header, starting on the 5th August.