Stoffel Vandoorne
Formula Renault 3.5, Moscow Raceway
Formula Renault 3.5’s most rated rookie Stoffel Vandoorne was impressive right from the get go, establishing himself as a championship frontrunner in the first half of the season with wins in his first championship race at Monza and in his local event at Spa. However, it wasn’t until Moscow Raceway that the paddock was treated to a full demonstration of just what the Belgian is capable of.
There wasn’t much of an indication of the things to come early on in Friday practice, so Vandoorne taking pole by a tiny margin on Saturday was a bit of a surprise. The first spot on the grid proved essential at Moscow Raceway and Vandoorne rushed away into the distance, establishing a solid lead early on and remaining in complete control for the distance.
As Magnussen struggled on Saturday due to a qualifying penalty, Vandoorne was presented with an excellent chance to take the lead in the standings. The added pressure didn’t faze the Belgian at all, as he pounced at the opportunity in qualifying, taking a dominant pole position. From that point on, it was more of the same – he established a good lead early on and completely dominated the proceedings.
Vandoorne’s fantastic Moscow outing marked the first time in WSR history that a driver led every lap of a weekend from pole and picked both fastest laps. He sure made an impression and, although Magnussen’s phenomenal late-season form left Stoffel settling for second, his rookie year wound up being an overwhelming success.
Valentin Khorounzhiy