It’s Stoffel Vandoorne’s championship to lose as Formula E marks 100 races with a championship decider in South Korea. The Seoul E-Prix is a new track for the series, a unique challenge built inside the Jamsil Olympic Stadium, the first global championship for the venue since hosting the 1988 Olympic Games.
Mercedes driver Stoffel Vandoorne heads to the doubleheader weekend with a 36-point lead and isn’t concerned about the new track. “To be honest, I don’t really care,” Vandoorne said. He added that, with any new track, “there’s a lot of unknowns for everybody…we just don’t have any historical data there. But I feel as a team we are usually doing well when we go to new venues. So I’m looking forward to it.”
Consistency is Stoffel’s advantage. He has the most podiums this year and has scored points in more races than any other driver, giving him the edge over competitors who have stood on the top step of the podium more often. Championship rivals Mitch Evans and Edoardo Mortara each have three wins to Vandoorne’s lone victory.
“I think I’ve been very consistent this year,” Vandoorne said. “I think it’s been a very good season so far. There’s definitely been some moments, but in general, I think I’ve been able to recover the situation fairly well, and that’s definitely been key to my season.”
It’s not a sure thing for Vandoorne before the green flag waves, though. “Let’s try to win it first,” he emphasized. “I can’t be sleeping and I still have to perform.”
Mitch Evans, who Vandoorne called “strong,” is his closest rival, sitting 36 points back. He’s no stranger to dominating a doubleheader weekend, after doing it in Rome, although technical problems for the Jaguar driver in London mean the pressure is now on to do it again and convincingly beat his rivals.
Further back, 41 points afield of Vandoorne, DS Techeeta’s Edoardo Mortara needs two good races. While he led the standings earlier in the season, poor performances in recent races, including finishing outside the points in London, have moved him back in the standings.
Plus, Mercedes seems ready for a doubleheader with the Team’s championship, a fitting end for the team that will leave the sport at the conclusion of this season. After a hundred races, the series is moving to a new Gen3 car to offer a leap forward, with new teams joining to take on the challenge.
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