Daniel Abt is the latest addition to the ABB FIA Formula E Championship Open Talent Call for Presenters judging panel, joining British TV and radio presenter Maya Jama in helping identify a talented young presenter or commentator to join the series’ broadcast team for the opening round of Season 7 in Santiago, Chile.
“I’ve been involved in the championship since the first race and have followed the work the series has invested in creating a better future through racing very closely,” said Abt. “As a racing driver, I know how challenging a career in sport can be and what stamina, dedication and passion it takes to gain a foothold in the industry.”
The 27-year-old is one of a small group of drivers, along with Lucas di Grassi, Sam Bird and Jerome D’Ambrosio to have competed in every race to-date since Season 1 in 2014/15. The German took his first victory in Mexico City in 2018, and that same season he became the first driver to achieve a Grand Slam of Julius Baer Pole Position and every lap led on the way to a race win on home soil at Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport Circuit.
On-track and on-camera
Daniel started creating videos in 2015 by simply taking a camera by himself to each of his races with the desire to make motorsport more accessible and bring fans closer to his life as a racing driver.
Five years later, Daniel has built a following of 400k on YouTube, 300k on Instagram and 200k on Tiktok, inspiring young people by making them feel a part of his home life, Formula E and his cars.
“I love vlogging, video creation and the world of influencers,” he adds. “That’s why I’m delighted to accompany the Open Talent Call as a judge and share my findings and knowledge with the talented finalists.”
Abt is the second member of the official jury for the Open Talent Call, alongside British TV and radio presenter Maya Jama, with the search on for top talent between the ages of 18 and 24.
Shortlisting is underway to find 15 successful applicants who’ll be introduced across Formula E channels shortly. The talent on show ensures that process is proving to be an extremely tough one.
Daniel and Maya will be joined by more experts on the panel in the coming weeks, with judges tasked with narrowing those 15 shortlisted entrants selected from the Open Talent Call down to four semi-finalists who will then be invited to attend Formula E pre-season testing to take on a series of on-screen challenges.
The four finalists will then be assigned experienced mentors and receive professional media training. One lucky winner will earn themselves a presenting contract to host Formula E alongside our existing on-air and online presenter line-up at the opening race of Season 7 scheduled to take place in Santiago, Chile on 16 January 2021.
#PositivelyCharged
Formula E was founded with a bigger purpose: to counteract the devastating effects of climate change by accelerating the development and adoption of electric vehicles.
The recent launch of Formula E’s #PositivelyCharged manifesto, as part of the FIA’s #PurposeDriven initiative, further reasserted our commitment to creating better futures through racing.
The Open Talent Call for Presenters is the first activity in our Positive Futures programme, which focuses on democratising opportunities for young, diverse talent both on and off the track.