Robert Wickens is hoping his fortunes have changed for the better after he recorded his first good points of the season at Silverstone that included a victory from pole position in the second of the weekend's two World Series by Renault races.

Although the Canadian driver has shown good pace all year, a myriad of issues in races – rarely his fault – meant he went to the fourth round of the championship with just four points to his name, all of which had been achieved in qualifying rather than in the races.

Going on to double that tally with his first pole position of the season around the Northamptonshire circuit, he then added two further points in the first race of the weekend, although once again his ninth place came as a result of a collision with another driver that dropped him down the order.

His big moment eventually came in the second race when he defied a poor start that dropped him from first to third to battle his way up into the lead through the pit stops. Going on to become the fifth different winner this year, Wickens was merely delighted just to get through an uneventful race.

“It capped off a very good weekend,” he told Crash.net Radio. “We have been quick right from the start and to get the first win is a big weight off my shoulders. The first race was very disappointing, but it just continued every race where I have been hit from behind so it was good to just finish this race with no contact. To get P1 too though is just fantastic.”

Praising the Carlin team for their efforts with a quick pit-stop, Wickens admits he was trying hard to keep Giedo van der Garde behind him when he returned to the track just in front of the erstwhile leader.

“It was a great team effort. I stayed out because I was about a second a lap quicker than them, so we couldn't see the point of coming in early. As soon as we caught up to a lapped car and we decided to pit.

“When you change just two tyres, the balance just goes and it takes a while to get used to. I knew I had to break the slipstream going into Stowe, but although I was sliding around I was able to get a big gap and put my head down.

Vaulting up to eighth in the standings, just 15 points adrift of second place driver Salvador Duran, Wickens is hoping his luck has now changed and that he can become a regular challenger for points over the remainder of the season.

“I hope this is the big turnaround. We have found a very strong set-up heading to Hungary and I am confident we can be just as quick. We just need a bit of bad luck from Giedo in the future.”