Stoffel Vandoorne insists he is not looking beyond racing for the McLaren F1 Team in 2019 despite the Belgian’s current contract ending at the end of the current season.
The situation for Vandoorne is not made any easier by the presence of the highly rated Lando Norris as the team’s third and reserve driver this season, but he continues to have a positive relationship with the Woking-based outfit, and can only see himself continuing with McLaren next season.
Vandoorne made his Formula 1 debut with McLaren in a one-off appearance in the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2016, when Fernando Alonso was ruled out through illness, before stepping up to a full-time ride last season alongside the Spaniard in place of the retiring Jenson Button.
“I do not look at any other option except McLaren,” Vandoorne said to Spanish publication El Pais.
“I have a very good relationship with the company, I occupy a very important position and I think the team has a very high potential for the future.”
Vandoorne also feels he is racing close to the level of team-mate Alonso despite the results indicating otherwise, with the Spaniard currently outscoring the Belgian by thirty-two points to eight across the first five races of the season.
“I don’t think there is much between Fernando and I,” insisted Vandoorne, who’s best finish of 2018 so far is eighth place in the Bahrain Grand Prix.
“Fernando is one of the most complete drivers on the grid in terms of getting everything from the car he drives, but we are not as far apart as it may sometimes appear.”
