How a Formula E champion hopes “a reset” will get them back to the top

Even for the life of a professional racing driver, Stoffel Vandoorne’s career has had highs and lows more than most as championship successes have been followed by lacklustre spells and unfulfilled potential.

At one stage the Belgian was considered the next talent to emerge from the junior single-seater ranks, dominating the 2015 GP2 campaign in his sophomore season before making his Formula 1 debut for McLaren the following year. Although only a one-off as a stand-in for the injured Fernando Alonso after the Spaniard’s colossal Australian Grand Prix shunt, Vandoorne impressed and took 10th place in Bahrain.

As well as earning him a spot amongst a select group of drivers to score a point on their F1 debuts, Vandoorne’s steady performance earned him promotion from reserve driver to a full-time drive on the grid for 2017 and subsequently 2018.

But his move into F1 with McLaren coincided with the Woking-based team’s worst period in the championship, as its collaboration with engine supplier Honda turned into nothing short of a disaster. After finishing 16th in the drivers’ standings both seasons and failing to match the performances of team-mate Alonso, Vandoorne was left to find employment elsewhere.

It came just weeks later in Formula E with HWA Racelab during a season that yielded one podium before a move to the factory Mercedes outfit, which was making its debut in the 2019-20 campaign.

Over the next three seasons Vandoorne claimed only three wins in 42 races, yet his consistency generally proved to be the best way of racing in the highly unpredictable all-electric championship.

A distant runner-up to Antonio Felix da Costa in the COVID-19-afflicted 2019-20 season, team-mate Nyck de Vries would claim the championship the following year as several non-scores derailed any title bid for Vandoorne.

A single victory in Monaco and seven further podiums, alongside only one non-score in 16 races, meant the title was comfortably Vandoorne’s in 2022 as he helped guide Mercedes to back-to-back teams’ titles in the process.

More success could well have followed in a team and structure Vandoorne was fully integrated with but with the German manufacturer’s shockwave departure from Formula E, the new champion was forced into joining winning outfit DS Penske.

The partnership was expected to produce strong results, yet after two seasons both parties were left disappointed as 32 races yielded just one pole position and one podium as the new Gen3 package failed to match the front-running teams.

“I think for us to get a very good result kind of all the stars had to really align to be able to be in the mix with them” Stoffel Vandoorne on time with DS Penske

“It was definitely not what I was expecting,” Vandoorne tells Autosport. “I think it was a little bit of a shock in terms of how, with Mercedes, everything was very, very structured and very organised.

“Not saying that DS wasn’t structured, it was just very different in a sense, let’s say, where it was a little bit less clear sometimes, everything was a bit more on the fly. And then I also think that in terms of the powertrain side, I think we lagged behind a little bit compared to the Porsches and the Jaguars, that’s not a secret.

“I think for us to get a very good result kind of all the stars had to really align to be able to be in the mix with them. I think we were at a stage when we executed well, we were in the mix.

“Very rarely we were the quickest, but I do feel that if we did everything right, then we had some good opportunities and some good chances to fight with them.”

Vandoorne’s time with DS failed to yield the expected results

Photo by: Charly Lopez / Motorsport Images

With results not forthcoming, both Vandoorne and DS decided to go their separate ways and Vandoorne has moved across within the Stellantis family, joining Maserati MSG for the current season.

The Trident joined the grid at the start of the Gen3 era in 2023, having been rebadged from Venturi which had previously used Mercedes powertrains, meaning it has proved to be something of a return home for Vandoorne.

“I would say it’s been a pretty smooth transition,” says Vandoorne. “I obviously knew a lot of the members of the team already since the Mercedes days because we were working quite closely together already back then, and a lot of these people remain the same.

“Then there’s my race engineer who has come across from DS as well and a couple of people from DS that have also come across, so it doesn’t feel too strange, it kind of feels very similar.

“Obviously when you move teams there’s always a little bit of a period where you have to adapt to the ways of working, processes, how things are going, but I would say in general it’s been smooth.

“Having the same powertrain [as DS Penske] kind of helps as well in terms of systems, dash layout, there’s not a massive change on that side, so that’s helped a lot to kind of settle in and hit the ground running.”

Across the opening two races of the 2024-25 campaign in Sao Paulo and Mexico City, Vandoorne has finished in the points twice courtesy of 10th and seventh place. While not spectacular, it’s offered a steady start in a championship where consistency is key.

The latest Formula E chapter for Vandoorne sees him at Maserati, something that helps him continue in the WEC

Photo by: Andreas Beil

While such a way of racing might not be the most eye-catching, Vandoorne is certainly still highly regarded. During his Mercedes FE days he was a reserve for the F1 team – a role he now fills for Aston Martin – and was in contention for the 2020 Sakhir GP drive that ultimately went to George Russell.

Remaining within the Stellantis family has also meant he can continue his World Endurance Championship commitments for Peugeot, as he dovetails the two campaigns. At the age of 32, Vandoorne is arguably in his prime years and believes his new challenge in Formula E can only be a good thing as he looks to return to the top.

“I don’t necessarily feel like I have to prove something, but you always have to show yourself and you always have to perform” Stoffel Vandoorne.

“I think it’s good to have a bit of a reset, I think that sometimes it does good for people,” adds Vandoorne.

“I don’t necessarily feel like I have to prove something, but you always have to show yourself and you always have to perform. That’s for sure some kind of a guideline in motorsport in general, you’re always judged on results and for sure I’m aiming to be back in a winning position and to be fighting for championships.

“I’m confident, I don’t have any doubts in my abilities that as soon as the pieces fall into place that I will be there again to fight for a championship, it’s just up to us now to build that again.”

Can Vandoorne use his prime years to take a title in either Formula E or WEC?

Photo by: Shameem Fahath