Formula E: Daniel Abt out to avenge Hong Kong E-Prix heartbreak – ‘we won fair and square’
- Audi ABT Schaeffler driver philosophical during ride on Formula E tram
- German says ‘I can’t change the past, but I can change what happens next’
Remembering the pain of having to hand back the winner’s trophy after already holding it in your hands would leave many drivers angry. But Daniel Abt remains remarkably calm talking about the events of last season’s Hong Kong E-Prix.
“It is what it is,” he says, with a shrug of the shoulders. “There are no hard feelings or anything. It’s in the past. I can only change what happens next.”
The German thought he had won his maiden Formula E race in the second part of season four’s opening double header on Central Harbourfront.
But a minor technical issue with his Audi ABT Schaeffler car saw him stripped of his moment of glory, having already soaked himself with champagne on the podium.
Sitting aboard the top deck of a Hong Kong tram decked out with a Formula E advertising livery, Abt reflects as he stares out of the window upon the rainy streets of Causeway Bay.
“It’s nice to be back, even though the weather is not really what we were hoping for,” he says. “But I really like being here, it’s a great place, a great track.”
Don’t mistake his cool nature for indifference, though – Abt will be using the heartbreak he felt in December 2017 to motivate himself on Sunday.
“We still have a task since we lost the win from last time. So I cannot wait to go,” he said.
The FIA stripped Abt of his victory because a bar code on one of the pieces of the car did not match up with the technical passport.
“You always want to win, that’s always the goal. I mean, we won fair and square last time, it’s just a stupid mistake in the end,” Abt said. “But yeah, sometimes that’s how life goes.”
What made the moment even more painful was that all the drama unfolded on his 25th birthday – talk about a party pooper.
Abt said his 26th birthday was a lot less emotional – he spent it relaxing instead with his family and friends back home instead of on the streets of Hong Kong.
He at least went on to win in Mexico and then his home race in Berlin in season four, which went some way to making up for his Hong Kong disappointment.
“Now I know how it feels, I want it more here.”
Season five has been hit and miss for Abt. While teammate Lucas Di Grassi stormed to a dramatic victory in the final 50 metres last time out in Mexico City, and sits fourth in the standings, Abt is down in 11th.
A podium in Santiago showed what he is capable of and he was eighth in Saudi Arabia, with 10th-placed finishes in Marrakesh and Mexico.
Like all 22 drivers he has been adapting to the new Formula E “Gen2” cars, and it’s certainly been a steep learning curve.
“I think the new car is a really good step forward, and it’s super nice we have our own identity now with the way it looks,” he says.
“Driving wise it’s faster, even more tricky than the old one. With the attack mode which works well, it’s pretty good.”
Sadly the rickety tram wending its way to Sheung Wan doesn’t provide the same thrill.
“It’s not quite as fast as our cars,” he says, laughing.
