The following year, he stepped up to new-for-2008 Formul'Academy Euro Series which he won comfortably at the first attempt, taking nine podium finishes from fourteen races.

After a learning year in which he showed flashes of genuine pace and recorded 12 championship points, he switched to the DAMS squad for 2012 to lead the team's first Formula Renault 3.5 campaign.

He immediately proved rapid, taking pole position for the opening two races and scoring enough points to remain among the championship contenders at half-distance.

He recorded his first race victory in the championship's trip to Russia, emerging from the weekend as the highest scoring driver with a total of 37 points.

Despite struggling in qualifying for the opening round at Monza, he completed a combined 28 overtaking moves during both races to finish sixth and fourth respectively.