Stoffel Vandoorne will not soon forget his first weekend in endurance racing, competing in the LMP1 class at the wheel of a BR Engineering BR1 prototype fielded by Russian team SMP Racing. On 4 May 2019, the Spa-Francorchamps circuit and surrounding areas were blanketed in five centimeters of snow. Stoffel Vandoorne: "On a eu les quatre saisons en une seule journée, c’était probablement la course la plus folle de toute ma carrière," recalls the 29-year-old Belgian driver. After six hours of rain, hail and lightning, he finished third along with Mikhail Aleshin and Vitaly Petrov. Six weeks later, the trio repeated the feat at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

From the Belgian Ardennes to Le Mans in 2019 - Vandoorne took his first two starts in endurance racing at two of the most legendary – and challenging – circuits in the world. After the trial by fire at Spa-Francorchamps, Le Mans was next: "Spa-Francorchamps was special because it was my home race and my first time in the car, but Le Mans was something really different because I did not even quite realize how big this event is, with so many people, so many spectators, so many fans and the whole build-up to the race as well because you spend almost ten days there before the race itself. This was incredible. It was also the most exhausting race that I have done in my life, but it was one of the most rewarding ones. I actually really enjoyed the challenge: driving through the traffic, through the night, dealing with different conditions, the race strategy...being able to finish on the podium for my first year there and behind the two Toyotas probably was the best result we could aim at. I was extremely happy and I really can’t wait to be back there."

The Belgian legacy at the 24 Hours of Le Mans - Thanks to Olivier Gendebien then Jacky Ickx, Belgium held the win record at the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1962 to 2005. At the last four runnings of the race, three class victories were added to this track record by brothers Dries and Laurens Vanthoor (in 2017 and 2018 respectively) then Maxime Martin in 2020. As the last Belgian driver to reach a podium finish at Le Mans, Vandoorne is looking for a win in the mold of six-time winner Jacky Ickx: "I know Jacky pretty well and he is one of the key figures of the race and how the 24 Hours of Le Mans developed. He is a big inspiration for me, he has competed in Formula 1 and in many other categories in motorsport, he won in F1 and Le Mans. It also is one of my targets to fight for victory at Le Mans because it will be an impressive feature to add to my record."

Vandoorne and the rise of hydrogen - For the last few years, Vandoorne has raced a hybrid in Formula 1, a thermal engine in endurance, an electric drivetrain in Formula E… and to this very wide spectrum is now added hydrogen with Mission H24 for whom he serves as a development driver: "I am extremely glad to be part of the developement of the Mission H24 car. It is very futuristic, but my experience and input in Formula E really helps me to develop the hydrogen car since the technology we use in Formula E is quite similar, there are a lot of things we can carry over to add to the performance of the hydrogen car. It is important to be part of its early development whenever this series will get going in the next couple of years we might have some kind of competitive edge let’s say, for having been part of its development. It is an exciting project, a lot of manufacturers are interested and it really looks like one of the key elements for motor racing in the future." 

PHOTOS – ABOVE (Copyright - Jonathan Biche/ACO): LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, 2019. At the 87th 24 Hours, Stoffel Vandoorne qualified in fifth position. CENTER: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, 2019. Third across the finish line, Vandoorne (at right) was joined on the podium by Fernando Alonso, his former teammate with McLaren in Formula 1 in 2017 and 2018. BELOW (Copyright - Thierry Gromik/Mission H24): CIRCUIT DE LURCY LEVIS (ALLIER, FRANCE). Mission H24's hydrogen prototype developed with the input of Stoffel Vandoorne, French driver Norman Nato and Monaco native Stéphane Richelmi.