Photo: Renault Sport/DPPI
Having won all but one of the 12 races so far between them, Stoffel Vandoorne and Daniil Kvyat have been the class of the huge field in this year’s Eurocup Formula Renault, and one will take the big prize this weekend…
Having emerged from a field of 40-odd young drivers, Stoffel Vandoorne and Daniil Kvyat will have one last duel in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 at the Circuit de Catalunya.
11 points separate the pair coming into the seventh and final weekend. He may only have four wins to Kvyat’s seven, but Vandoorne has displayed amazing consistency in a championship that has otherwise proved to be so closely fought. He’s finished all 12 races in the top four, and only twice been off the podium.
Red Bull Junior Kvyat was the pre-season favourite entering the campaign, and his win rate of more than one every two races proves there’s been nothing wrong his speed. Two non-scores would usually be forgiveable, but against Vandoorne’s consistency it’s left him playing catchup.
Double victory for Kvyat will be enough for him to snatch the title, so Vandoorne cannot just rely on continuing his consistent record – he will need to try and beat his Russian rival.
If Kvyat does miss out on the Eurocup title, he might not leave Barcelona without silverware. The Formula Renault Alps campaign also concludes on the World Series by Renault bill this weekend, and Kvyat heads Norman Nato by 13 points. Before the previous round at Mugello, it had been a similar story to the Eurocup for Kvyat, as he was trailing his rival despite having scored more wins. A third double victory of the season in Italy moved him ahead of Nato coming into the decisive final weekend.
Both series have two test sessions on Friday, with the 42-car Eurocup grid qualifying in two separate groups at 9:00 local time on Saturday ahead of its first race at 13:45. On Sunday, qualifying is again at 9:00 with the race at the slightly earlier time of 13:30. The Alps will have one single qualifying at 18:40 on Saturday with both races on Sunday at 12:10 and 18:15. @PaddockScout will have the latest on Twitter throughout the weekend.