Motorsport: Life on the up after smash

Richie Stanaway relishes being back in a single-seater. Photo / GP3 Media

This year probably won't be a championship-winning one for New Zealand driver Richie Stanaway but that isn't to say it hasn't been a resounding success.

Quite the contrary. It's been one of the most impressive years of the 22-year-old's career, the story of a second chance grabbed firmly.

With two rounds remaining, Stanaway is second on the GP3 points ladder. After his career-threatening crash in 2012, he could so easily have not been there at all.

"I'm fortunate just to be racing," he said. "I never really expected to do as well as we have done. It's been a privilege to be on the grid, really. Everything above that is a bonus."

Stanaway's career lies in the shadow of his crash at Spa during a wet Formula Renault 3.5 race in 2012 when he severely injured his back and his racing dreams were left in serious doubt.

When he returned to racing around six months later, his Formula Renault seat was gone and, so it appeared, his chances of returning to single-seat racing.

It saw a switch to sportscars. He eased back into things in the Porsche Supercup, then landed a drive with Aston Martin in the GT series of the World Endurance Championship.

Despite never having raced sportscars, he was immediately on the pace, matching and even beating far more experienced team-mates.

Then in April, he received an unexpected call from Canadian GP3 team Status Grand Prix and returned to single-seat racing.

It hasn't always been smooth sailing but two wins, blinding pace and a Scott Dixon-like knack for consistency see him sitting second.

A pointless round at Monza early this month dealt his championship chances a heavy blow. He's 50 points behind Alex Lynn and, with 46 points the maximum in any round, he'll have to be exceptionally lucky to leapfrog the championship leader.

"There is still a mathematical chance but it's not realistically going to be easy," he said. "I'm really aiming for a strong final two races to maintain second. I'll just focus on doing my best and I'm sure the rest will take care of itself."

It's a mentality that's worked so far. Stanaway has always maintained a grounded, mature outlook that became stronger after his crash.

"Having a crash like that changes you a little bit. It makes you less inclined to go hard and take risks like you would as a teenager. But that's part of getting older, having experiences like that.

"The danger's always in the back of your mind, but being a racing driver is a risky business and that's something you just have to learn to cope with."

There's still plenty of work to round out the season. The Russia GP3 round at Sochi on October 10 is followed by the United Arab Emirates on November 21. He's continued racing sportscars and has more drives for Aston Martin in the World Endurance Championship.

Plans for next year are still up in the air, with various announcements set to come over the next few months.