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Stoffel Vandoorne has options outside of McLaren

By David Barclay

CHICHESTER, ENGLAND - JUNE 25: Stoffel Vandoorne of Belgium and McLaren Honda drives the MP4/6 at Goodwood on June 25, 2016 in Chichester, England. (Photo by Andrew Hone/Getty Images)
CHICHESTER, ENGLAND - JUNE 25: Stoffel Vandoorne of Belgium and McLaren Honda drives the MP4/6 at Goodwood on June 25, 2016 in Chichester, England. (Photo by Andrew Hone/Getty Images) /
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Widely considered to be the hottest up-and-coming prospect in Formula One, McLaren driver Stoffel Vandoorne said Wednesday that other options will be available for him in the 2017 season if the Surrey-based team doesn’t re-up him.

Stoffel Vandoorne is “positive” that the opportunity for him to become a full-time F1 driver in 2017 will present itself, even if his current team decides against promoting him next season. The 24-year-old reigning GP2 champion currently serves as McLaren’s reserve driver. He made his debut this season substituting for the injured Fernando Alonso during the Bahrain Grand Prix.

During that race, Vandoorne out-qualified teammate Jenson Button, and scored the first points of his F1 career.

Speculation in the McLaren paddock has led many to believe that Vandoorne and Button are currently competing for the team’s second seat in the 2017 season — Button, a former F1 world champion in his own right, will be out of contract at the conclusion of the current campaign, and team principal Ron Dennis said he won’t discuss the idea of an extension until September at least.

Speaking during test sessions at Silverstone on Wednesday, Vandoorne told Motorsport.com the situation is out of his hands. The only thing he can do is get in the car and drive.

“The main goal is to be in Formula 1 next year. That hasn’t changed,” he said. “Obviously, I am contracted to McLaren and I really want to be with this team next year, I’ve spent a lot of time here with the engineers and I feel like we’ve really been through the perfect preparation.

“There’s really not much more I can do, I just need to get the drive.”

However, Vandoorne also said McLaren won’t be his only option in F1 for the 2017 season.

“I would love to race for this team, but I’ve always said – if for some reasons, which I don’t know, it doesn’t become possible, then I’m positive that there are other options available.”

Multiple teams have shown interest in the young Belgian, Renault among them. However, Dennis said in May that Vandoorne was an “integral part of McLaren-Honda’s future,” adding, “any team that imagines they may be able to poach him is very much mistaken. You may rest assured Stoffel is not for sale.”

Though its the pinnacle of motorsport, perhaps Vandoorne’s options are so vast they fall outside the world of Formula One — alongside his McLaren duties, the youngster also races in the Japanese series Super Formula, where he pilots a Honda-engined chassis.

“I think everybody is interested in what I’m doing there,” he said. “This year I see for me as more of a preparation year for next year, my main focus is still to get a Formula 1 drive next year and I’ve been focused on my role as reserve driver.”