Written by Fleur Rogerson
After two seasons with DS Penske, Stoffel Vandoorne will be leaving the team for season 11. He has not yet confirmed where he may go for season 11.
Vandoorne won the championship in the all-electric series back in 2022 and has since been chasing a second title. However, he has struggled to achieve this at DS Penske.
Following the Portland E-Prix, The Race reported that Vandoorne was made aware by DS Penske that they were looking to change their line up. There is talk that a driver has already been signed to race alongside Jean-Eric Vergne.
Vandoorne, despite taking the title back in 2022, has not stood out with his performance at DS Penske. Vandoorne achieved his first Gen3 podium in Moncao and yet he heads into London 74 points behind Jean-Eric Vergne.
The DS Penske package has been contradictory to Vandoorne's driving style, but his inability to adapt may be one of the reason DS Penske has been exploring alternatives.
It is currently believed that Vandoorne has three main options; Maserati, Envision racing and Nissan. It also seems he aims to combine both a Formula E championship campaign and a World Endurance championship campaign again in 2025.
Originally, it seemed that Envision would be the clear frontrunner. However, recent performances from Frijns and Beumi have increased the chances of them being retained.
Maserati seem more likely for Vandoorne as they have a notably more fickle driver line-up. Nissan stays the least likely choice for the Belgian driver, especially as they would have stricter rules on Vandoorne's participation in WEC and other racing.
With performance being a factor in his departure from DS Penske, it begs whether Vandoorne will find a championship in Formula E again.
Comments