Stoffel Vandoorne wrote himself into ABB FIA Formula E World Championship legend on Sunday as he clinched the 2021-22 Drivers’ Championship by finishing second in the final race of the season in Seoul.
The Belgian driver held a commanding lead heading into the final round of the season in South Korea but had to hold his nerve in the finale, knowing a mistake could have let Mitch Evans in to deny him the crown.
Vandoorne stayed out of trouble on Sunday and continued his remarkable consistency that he showed throughout the season, with the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team driver having scored in all bar one of the sixteen races throughout the year – in fact he only finished lower than fifth on three occasions.
Despite finishing third on the road around the Seoul Street Circuit, Vandoorne was promoted to second after Avalanche Andretti FE Team’s Jake Dennis was handed a time penalty, but it was more than enough for him to claim the title in what was Mercedes’ final race in Formula E.
“Wow, I’m speechless,” said Vandoorne. “It’s fantastic – the whole season has just been great. It’s an incredible feeling when you think about what we’ve achieved together this year.
“Thank you to the whole team for making this possible. The car was superb again today, and everyone in the team deserves this success. We have accomplished something very special together.”
Vandoorne appreciated the effort put in by Jaguar TCS Racing’s Evans throughout the year, but despite the New Zealander winning more races, the Belgian’s consistency at the end of the day was key.
“Mitch gave everything right up until the end – he was always there,” said the Belgian. “But in the end, consistency was the deciding factor: he won more races than I did, but I had the most podiums. As a team, we have achieved a level of consistency that has never been seen before in Formula E.
“I am incredibly proud of my team and our performance this season. It’s the perfect way to end the season, to be on the podium in the last race of the season, the one-hundredth E-Prix in the history of the series, and to win both World Championship titles.”
