Why Audi Is Right To Suspend Daniel Abt

[ears]

I don't know where I stand on this.

It's interesting that a community of predominantly sim racers has voted in favour of Audi's decision, although not surprising perhaps.

On the face of it, what Abt did was just plain silly. I think it was a prank gone wrong. I don't think he intended to cheat. Having watched his video, I do believe that he would have 'come clean' on his Twitch channel.

However, this shows enormous disrespect to the world of sim racing. He was having a joke at our expense. He showed us, the developers and everyone else involved, no respect. He didn't care.

And even in his apologetic video, he still manages to twist the knife. rFactor2 is a game, it's nothing like the real thing, it's just not the same.

What he doesn't get is, he, especially him, with his influential family connections, is priviledged. He doesn't seem to appreciate that for the vast majority, sim racing is all we'll ever experience. Because our family doesn't happen to own a racing team.

But he just laughed at us, and belittled the medium that we so enjoy, anyway.

And he did it for his own benefit. To 'entertain' his social media followers.

 

[tr1v1um]

A german caught cheating, wow that is something new
Anyhow no mercy with this guy.

What in gods name does the nationality have to do with this topic and his behaviour? Complete nationalistic BS post, really. Would be the same as if I called every american fat. I am German btw and I am not in line with Daniel Abt's behaviour. If you think that only German people or car manufacturers cheat you should take a more clear look around yourself.

 

[Kompis]

the 4 A. rings are the fairest team and have never cheated. sarcasm

 

[Michel Bélisle]

As a professional driver, if he felt that it was "just a game", "just for fun", to entertain the fans, he should not have been concerned about finishing first or last. It's just a game; right? From that point of view, you don't hire an e-sport veteran to drive under your name to ensure a good finish.

It was important enough for him to find a quality surrogate to race for him. However, when the whole thing goes sideways, it's just a game. It's quite insulting to all of us that enjoy sim racing and the developers of sim racing titles that invest themselves in making sims as realistic as possible.

What I am getting out of this and the Pagenaud/Norris incident, is that sim racing and real racing are too different disciplines. Some people maybe good at one or the other. There a few like Norris or Verstappen that are good at both disciplines.

 

[ltcars]

the 4 A. rings are the fairest team and have never cheated. sarcasm

What an unused and totally not bullshit argument!
It's not like Audi had to pay €200.000 for it and all their points were removed and Ullrich was denied access to the pit lane for the rest of the year and Timo Scheider couldn't start at the Moscow race

 

[Nevini]

One hell of an overreaction to cheating in a computer game. I assume twitter over reated.

 

[Andrew Harper]

The key here (for me) is the event.

If it was a bunch of formula-e drivers getting together to do some casual fun racing on Raceroom, or ACC and then Abt pulled this stunt it may have seen as being a joke, it's still stupid but he may have got away with it.

The difference is (as mentioned by @Paul Jeffrey) this was a professionally organised event by Formula E using the real teams and drivers.

It may have been "virtual" but again he was representing his team but more importantly he was representing one of the biggest brands in the world.

Also don't forget the whole VAG emissions scandal, Audi don't want any more dirt thrown at them.

I think the ban was possibly a bit too much, the fine for charity was a good idea though.

However if any of us did a serious league and any driver cheated (for any reason) we would all be furious and want that person banned, without question.

 

[kmanitou]

What in gods name does the nationality have to do with this topic and his behaviour? Complete nationalistic BS post, really. Would be the same as if I called every american fat. I am German btw and I am not in line with Daniel Abt's behaviour. If you think that only German people or car manufacturers cheat you should take a more clear look around yourself.

Struck a nerve?

 

[DrRob]

Struck a nerve?

Troll?

 

[Óscar Melero]

imho:
Cheating is cheating.
And it's not just a game.
It's not a game when too many people feel it has to be treated as something serious.
It's not just a game when people tend to behave on track or at least they try. And if they can't, some let you have the position back.
It's not just a game if I bother to write this. Because, if it was just a game I would go "cheater banned lol".

Twitter is twitter.
I honestly don't get why people still don't get this.
Many streamers (iRacing, League of Legends, CS, f*cking Valorant) still stream and still get fire on their twitter account because they said one thing.
One guy once said a scene from FFVII Remake f*cked all the serious ambient of the remake. He was TT for this and many insulted him for an opinion.
Professionals saw the Abt incident and its consecuences and don't want to consume Twitch or do streams anymore? Okay, it's their decision.
Not everyone likes to read insults for everything they said. So if they want to go, goodbye.

And...
Sport is sport.
Imagine if I come back to RD premium and I call f*cking Jimmy Broadbent to race for me under my name.
What would happen?
Not only I would be banned and eviscerated from this site but I would get many insults before that.
And in my most honest opinion, I would deserve it. The ban, and the insults.

Cheating is cheating, I don't want to watch or hear his statement, I don't have to. For once, simracing is up there to deal with a crisis of this size. And he comes, thinks is a f*cking game, and cheats.

And, hold on your sides because this is the best part, he was a professional driver. The one you don't expect to do this kind of sh*t in a 0,0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% or practically imposible for him to do.
And he does.

I'm dissapointed for him. And I'm proud of the non-prof. drivers (and prof. too) who not only they do behave but they also don't even think of cheat in a pathetic way like that.

 

[Tim Meuris]

What I don't understand about the Dieselgate argument is that since they cheated once they should let every other cheating slide under the table? I think because they cheated once they are now extra careful with anything that involves cheating to not disturb their public image

I think it is very good that he got fined, must have been a lot more imo. But Audi's statement just made me laugh

 

[TylerDurden4321]

I for one don't believe he's sincere. If it was just a joke then why not enlighten the viewers and drivers directly on his own (maybe at the end of the stream)? It's because, had it been a joke, it would have been a joke taken too far - that he didn't clarify the situation on his own means that he would have know it's a joke taken too far and it could get him in trouble... at that point, why make the joke, if you know you can't admit it without getting in trouble? Ergo: This was not merely a joke.

This was "this is not what I'm used to driving, this sucks, I suck at it. If I didn't suck, I would get crashed into anyway and it would still suck, so it's not worth getting good at this game. Eff everyone who is trying to take this competition seriously, the viewers included"

 

[spizzlo]

I get annoyed when people say "it's just a game". Newsflash, real racing is just a game. All sports are just a game. Some people are lucky enough to play games for a living. What's the difference between a pro sim-racer and a Formula E driver? One is more famous, prestigious, dangerous? Yes, definitely, but one isn't more "real" than the other. They're both real.

These IRL drivers should have been made to understand that they weren't "playing games", but they were competing in front of thousands of fans and representing their sponsors. Again, for the official races. In their private streams they can do what they want.

I'm a fan of Abt, but this was a massive bonehead move. I think he should be suspended, but it would be harsh to sack him.

 

[Kevin Bradley]

Is it a harsh punishment for essentially cheating at a computer game? Yes, I would say it definitely is. Was it justified? Well it may have only been sim racing but at the time he was representing his employer, their brand and their sponsors. When acting in this capacity there are always rules and responsibilities attached. He didn't treat it as a workplace event when in fact he probably should have done (and I'm sure he recognizes that now himself although it's obviously too late).

A sorry tale but I think you have to look at it from all sides and I would say that unfortunately no one has come out of this event looking very good; the driver himself, his former team, the sponsors, the event promoter or the sim racing genre in general.

 

[Miki Laggard]

All you guys with your forks and torches, hold on a second. Maybe I am in favour of understanding the german language (not easy sometimes even when you're german - which I am ) and can put things more in relation because of the video Daniel put online but this is going the wrong way! Proportionality anyone?

Btw, disclaimer: I'm not a fan of Daniel Abt. I think he is an ok guy as far as his social media precesence crossed my attention, but that's it.
But it clearly, CLEARLY was a (bad!) prank. And furthermore it was a prank in a ridiculously silly series of e-sports racing. If you are a real race driver it is really really hard to cope with those infomartion-trimmed virtual race-cars. And if you're not willing to put a lot of effort into it as David Perel did for example, it will get messy. Which it did.

EXCURSUS: Did anyone see the two one hour races at Silverstone by the SRO(was it?)? One race simracers only, the first race real drivers only. The simracers event was some of the best racing I have witnessed. So consistent, defending podium over a distance of many many laps, dog-fights on the edge.
The real drivers race was a kindergarten event. Leclerc for example spun several times, collected several DTs, other drivers punted and got punted and were in general all over the place. Only a few had top notch consistency.

So my point is: In this context Daniel Abt came up with that idea which thousands could witness in a live stream. He asked the simracer live if he would be willing to pull that stunt.
Now, whatever his intentions and however silly and carnival-like the situation: there may be others who participate who see it diffrentely. and therefore it was a BAD idea. A SILLY prank. It was not thought through and lightheaded. And therefore he got punished. Banned from the series (ok, not that hard a punishment ) and 10000.- euros - which is a lot of money, which he did not discuss or debate but took the donation straightaway to a local working place for special people (as I like to call them) to support mobility chances for them.

For me the case can be closed here. No hush hush secret plan for placing better in an e-sports series that lacked quality anyways and where he always stated that he streams it for fun, not for results. There were no real life benefits like money involved in the results.
But here comes Audi into play takes a deeep bow before the almighty power of social media and instead of defending their driver - yes people: DEFENDING! - they pulled the plug on Daniel Abts career - with Audi at least.

And THAT dear @Paul Jeffrey is where I am gobsmacked.

I never cared about that guy. Now I do.
**** the internet! (And not....)

 

[Michel Bélisle]

I have to make a confession. I have watched a few celebrity drivers sim races online recently. I am quite happy to see them punt each other and spin out just like any regular Joe. It makes them seem a bit more human somehow.

 

[Enagee]

Anyone want to Rob a bank and say it was a prank after? Let us know how it pans out

 

[eco2006]

If it was intended as a joke or prank he should have revealed it in the after race interview, like: "See how well a simracer holds up with the pros, hahaha" and nobody would have started the whole cheating story. At least someone who was planning the prank with him could have come up with that and that is the reason i cant fully believe his prank story.

 

[sPACEje]

Well said !
I did not understand those drivers point of view. It's not just a game. People are working on it, and it was a UNICEF event, how can these guys be so unprofessional...

 

[RichardHessels]

Why Audi Is Right To Suspend Daniel Abt...

The title does not leave much room for discusion.
They have been stupid, but to have your whole career been thrown trough the toilet over it is a bit much.
The 10.000 fine and suspension of further entering just that series was already quite some penalty.