Briton Dean Stoneman has secured the formula 2 championship for 2010 at Valencia Spain this weekend. As great as a prize this title may be, he is probably more excited about the chance to test for Williams F1 which is the grand prize for winning the F2 title.
“It’s only just starting to settle in,” Stoneman said. “Getting into Formula One has always been my dream, and this just brings me one step closer.
“It’s hard to know what to expect but it’s obviously a fantastic opportunity to be testing a Williams Formula One car, so hopefully I can prove myself,” he added. “I’m just going to go there and do what I do best: get in the car and drive as fast as I can!”
After finishing 9th in race one, he then scored another podium–his 13th podium of the season–in the season finale race today. He finish just behind Kazim Vasiliauskas and Jack Clarke.
“I didn’t expect to win it in my first year, but to be walking away with the championship is great,” continued Dean. “F2 is the highest class of car I’ve ever raced and this is the highest ranking I’ve ever been.”
Dean got his impressive start in the formula Renault UK Championship with an impressive three wins, nine podiums and three pole positions in his first year in the series–a better record than even Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton’s when he made his debut in the same series.
Let’s hope Stoneman can keep the momentum and that F2’s mission to create new, young talent for F1 will work. With the GP2 and GP3 series running, it has stiff competition but I’d be lying if I said I thought GP2 had some drivers fast enough for F1 next year. Perhaps The Stoneman Cometh?
