-
Date of Birth26/03/1992
-
Age32
-
NationalityBelgium
-
Debut Race2018 Saudia Ad Diriyah E-Prix
EARLY YEARS
Vandoorne's racing career started at the age of six, competing in kart championships. With several victories to his name, the Belgian's breakthrough moment came in 2008 when he clinched the championship in that year's Belgian KF2 season.
The following year marked the start of Vandoorne's international racing career. In 2010, he progressed to the F4 Eurocup, winning in his debut season. In 2013, the Belgian driver was recruited into the McLaren Young Driver Programme, and in 2014, he was announced as McLaren Mercedes' official reserve driver.
Alongside his Formula 1 role, Vandoorne raced in the GP2 Series for the French squad ART Grand Prix. After a successful first season with the team, he won the championship at the second attempt. A year later, he replaced the injured two-time world champion Fernando Alonso and made his Formula 1 race debut in the 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix, finishing in the points.
INTO FORMULA E
The Belgian driver remained with McLaren until he joined HWA Racelab in October 2018. DTM Champion Gary Paffett joined him, and the two formed the team's driver line-up for its debut season in the all-electric street racing championship.
With a wealth of racing experience behind him, the Belgian driver entered into the all-electric street racing series in 2018 with HWA Racelab, adding to an already impressive motorsport career. For the 2019/20 campaign, Vandoorne transitioned to the newly-christened Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team as Mercedes' manufacturer involvement fully crystalized.
WITH THE SILVER ARROWS
With HWA transitioning to a full Mercedes-EQ works team in Season 6, Vandoorne partnered with rookie Nyck de Vries and steered the Silver Arrow 01 to its first podium at the season-opener in Diriyah and a maiden race win at the Berlin finale to sign off an impressive campaign for the German marque.
Vandoorne won in Rome in Season 7, as the Silver Arrow 02 proved its worth, and came home ninth in the standings, a podium shy of his teammate and ruing bad luck - particularly Oliver Rowland's wipe out move in London costing the Belgian a podium, and potentially the title.
CHAMPION AT MERCEDES-EQ
The pair returned for Season 8 to defend their titles and duly, they did – this time. Vandoorne made it a pair of back-to-back Drivers’ and Teams’ titles for the Silver Arrows after he stormed to an impressive title win, lifting the trophy in the season finale in Seoul.
TAKING THE NUMBER 1 TO DS PENSKE
Season 9 and Mercedes became NEOM McLaren racing, marking the end of the Belgian driver’s stint with the team. He then joined forces with DS PENSKE and partnered with veteran two-time Formula E champion Jean-Éric Vergne. Unfortunately for Vandoorne, his title defence never really got going, and he finished the season in 11th place, with no podiums to his name.
Season 10 has seen DS PENSKE stick with the star-studded lineup of Vandoorne and Vergne. While Formula E fans haven’t been treated to the Vandoorne of years prior, the Belgian star battled to a best of third in Monaco - his top finish in the legendary black-and-gold colours.
JOINING MASERATI MSG
New surrounds are calling for the Season 8 champion in for 2024/25, as Vandoorne will be shifting to Maserati MSG Racing to race for the House of Trident.