Dean Stoneman

British racing driver Dean Stoneman is one of the racers with the most unusual career because he combined competitions and titles both in the formula racing and powerboat racing.

In 2010, he was the Formula Two champion. Unfortunately, he had to pause his career in 2011 due to health issues but in 2012, he returned to  racing by winning the title in P1 SuperStock UK powerboat series. He returned to car racing in 2013 and since then he competed in six different series (Porsche Carrera Cup GB, GP3 Series, GP2 Series, Formula Renault 3.5 Series, Indy Lights and Blancpain GT Series).

2010 Formula Two Champion Dean Stoneman

Dean started racing at the age 10

Dean Colin Stoneman was born on July 24, 1990, in Croydon near London. At the age 10, he started racing with go-karts. He entered car racing in 2006, competing in a few races of the BARC Formula Renault 2.0. In 2007, he competed full season in the same series with the Alpine Motorsport team, scoring three wins in twelve races and finishing as the championship runner-up, a single point behind Hywel Lloyd.

Three seasons in the Formula Renault 2.0

In 2008, Stoneman moved to the main Formula Renault 2.0 UK Championship, again scoring three wins. After 20 races, he was fourth in the championship standings. One more season in Formula Renault UK Championship followed in 2009, again with fourth place at the end of the year.

Dean Stoneman

Stoneman was 2010 Formula Two champion

In the 2010 FIA Formula Two Championship, all attention was on the battle between Dean Stoneman and Jolyon Palmer. At the end, Stoneman took the title, winning six out of 18 races. In October, Dean participated in the season's finale of the Formula Renault 3.5 Series.

His award for the F2 title was the test drive with Williams F1 team, in November at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit. On the first day of a young drivers' test, he set the fifth fastest time.

Health issues forced Dean to pause a career

The fastest young driver in Abu Dhabi was Daniel Ricciardo, who was supposed to be Stoneman's teammate in the ISR Racing team for 2011 Formula Renault 3.5 Series. Unfortunately, Stoneman was forced to skip the season because of testicular cancer. After he resolved his health issues, Stoneman spent 2012 in the powerboat racing, alongside his father Colin. Dean was the P1 SuperStock UK champion.

In 2012, Dean was P1 Superstock champion

Winning five races in the Porsche Carrera Cup

From the water race tracks, Stoneman returned to road courses in 2013, entering the Porsche Carrera Cup GB with Redline Racing team. He won both races of the season-opening round at Brands Hatch. Later in the season, he was victorious three more times (Croft, Silverstone, Brands Hatch) and finished fifth in the points. During the season, he missed the Rockingham round because of penalty points.

GP3 Series runner-up in 2014

Stoneman returned to single-seater racing driving for Koiranen GP in the last round of the 2013 GP3 Series at Yas Marina Circuit, taking the second place in the second race. For 2014 GP3 Series season, he made a deal with Marussia Manor Racing. He was one of the title contenders, winning three out of fourteen races. Once the team was closed, Stoneman returned to Koiranen GP and took two more wins and finished the season in the second place, behind Alex Lynn.

In 2014, Stoneman was second in the GP3 Series

2015 - Formula Renault 3.5 and GP2 Series

In 2015, Stoneman finally entered Formula Renault 3.5 Series, four years after his first attempt. Backed by Red Bull, he was driving for DAMS. With four podiums in 17 races, Stoneman was sixth in the points. He also joined Carlin for the last three rounds of the GP2 Series, finishing best in the 9th place at Sochi Autodrom.

Two Indy Lights wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The big change followed in 2016 when Stoneman joined Andretti Autosport in the Indy Lights series. In May, he won two races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, both on the 2.439-mile road course and 2.5-mile oval.

He added five more podiums and entered the season's finale as the title contender, together with five other drivers. At the end, he finished fifth in the points.

Stoneman scored two wins at the Brickyard in 2016

Focusing on GT racing in recent time

In 2017, Stoneman returned to Europe to join Strakka Racing in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup. He was driving the #59 McLaren 650S GT3 in three races, sharing the car with Jazeman Jaafar and Andrew Watson but without any notable result.

In 2018, he joined CEFC TRSM racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship with a plan to race in the #5 Ginetta G60 LMP1 prototype but the team withdrew from the competition before the first race of the season.

In 2019, Dean returned to the Blancpain GT Series, joining Ombra Racing to drive the #12 Lamborghini Huracan GT3.

Photos: deanstoneman.co.uk,