Right from the start, Alex Lynn looked every inch the title favourite in GP3. Victory on his series debut at Barcelona from pole position proved that, and while Dean Stoneman's win in the reversed-grid race 24 hours later perhaps didn't catch the attention at the time (except on the warm-up lap when he spun!), it was just as significant in the long run.
As Lynn and his Carlin team continued to set the pace as the season progressed, there was something tenacious about Stoneman and the Marussia-badged Manor squad.
Stoneman has already won a huge victory in his life, surviving testicular cancer, and his indefatigable character came into play again in competition.