Stoffel Vandoorne is to leave McLaren at the end of the season, the team has confirmed.
The Belgian driver joined the McLaren Young Driver Programme in 2013 and was test driver the following year.
In 2015 he won the GP2 Championship before being promoted to the team’s reserve driver in 2016. That year he made his F1 debut, standing in for the injured Fernando Alonso at the Bahrain Grand Prix, scoring his first point in the process.
In 2017 he was called up to the team to replace the retiring Jenson Button and has raced alongside Alonso since then.
But this year the 26-year-old has struggled with the uncompetitive MCL33 car and has not managed to outqualify Alonso once all season.
Stoffel has often struggled with the car this season (Pic: Sutton)
Alonso himself is leaving F1 at the end of the year to be replaced at McLaren by Carlos Sainz Jr, and the team has now confirmed that it will have an all-new driver line up for 2019.
McLaren boss Zak Brown said: “We’re immensely thankful for Stoffel’s dedication, hard work and commitment during his time at McLaren. He’s a talented racing driver with an incredible list of accolades in his junior career. We’re proud to have played a part in his break into Formula 1, from his role as Test Driver to his fantastic points-scoring debut in Bahrain in 2016.
“It’s clear we haven’t provided Stoffel with the tools to show his true talent, but throughout our relationship he’s proved to be a fantastic team player. His work ethic is impressive, he has a great reputation within the team and we’ve really enjoyed working with him. Of course, we would have loved to achieve more success during our time together, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that he will always be a part of the McLaren family of grand prix drivers.
“For now, we look to the future and to the remaining grands prix in 2018, where I know both Stoffel and Fernando will be pushing hard to fight for as many points as possible before we close the curtain on this season.
All change: Alonso and Vandoorne to leave McLaren at the end of the year (Pic: Sutton)
“We wish Stoffel all the best in whatever direction he chooses to take next in his career, and we’ll be supporting him all the way. We will announce our full driver line-up for the 2019 season in due course.”
Vandoorne added: “I’m very grateful to McLaren for investing their faith in me over the past five years. I joined McLaren as a young driver and have since seen my career progress within the team from Test and Development Driver to Reserve Driver and then to full-time race driver.
“While we haven’t achieved the success we’d all hoped for, I’ve really enjoyed the past two seasons racing for McLaren and I have a great relationship with everyone in the team.
“My time at McLaren has been a great chapter in my career and I’m thankful for the opportunity the team, Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa and Mansour Ojjeh have given me to gain valuable Formula 1 experience and develop as a driver. I intend to give it my all for the remaining seven races of this season, and will announce my plans for next season in due course.”
The search is now on for Vandoorne’s replacement, with McLaren young driver Lando Norris and Force India pair Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon thought to be at the top of the list.
Vandoorne will also now be looking for another seat in F1 as the summer driver merry-go-round continues…
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