Official: Stoffel Vandoorne will not drive for McLaren next season

The rumor had been in the air for some time, Stoffel Vandoorne will indeed no longer be a McLaren driver starting next season. Some reports even going so far as to claim that the Belgian driver would be replaced before the end of the season.

Stoffel Vandoorne joined the team as a member of its young driver program in 2013, securing the title of vice-champion in Formula Renault 3.5 that same year, as well as winning the GP2 title in 2015.

He made his Grand Prix debut in 2016, replacing Fernando Alonso during the Bahrain weekend, earning his first point in the discipline at the same time. He was then given a full-time seat for the 2017 season to replace Jenson Button. Unfortunately, in two years of collaboration with Fernando Alonso, the Flemish driver never managed to reach the level of his illustrious teammate. His disappointing performances ultimately cost him his position as a full-time driver at McLaren.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown expressed his gratitude towards Belgian driver Stoffel Vandoorne regarding his replacement, acknowledging some regrets and wishing him good luck for the future: « We are extremely grateful for Stoffel’s dedication, hard work, and commitment during his time at McLaren. He is a talented driver with an incredible list of championships won in his junior career. We are proud to have played a role in his breakthrough in Formula 1, from his role as a test driver to his fantastic debut in Bahrain in 2016.

It is clear that we did not provide Stoffel with the tools to prove his true talent, but throughout our relationship, he has proven to be a fantastic team member. His work ethic is impressive, he enjoys an excellent reputation within the team, and we really enjoyed working with him. Of course, we would have liked to have more success during our collaboration, but that does not take away from the fact that he will always be part of the McLaren family.

For now, we are looking to the future and the remaining Grand Prix of 2018, where I know Stoffel and Fernando will fight to score as many points as possible before the end of the season.

We wish Stoffel good luck, whatever direction he chooses to take in his career, and we will support him throughout his career. We will announce our full lineup for the 2019 season in due course.

Stoffel Vandoorne also reacted to the news by thanking McLaren for their trust but without announcing his future: “I am very grateful to McLaren for placing their trust in me over the past five years. I joined McLaren as a young driver and since then, I have seen my career evolve within the team, from test and development driver to reserve driver, and then to full-time race driver.”

Although we did not achieve the success we all hoped for, I truly enjoyed my last two seasons at McLaren and have an excellent relationship with all the team members.

My time at McLaren has been a major chapter of my career, and I am grateful to the team, Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, and Mansour Ojjeh for giving me the opportunity to gain valuable experience in Formula 1 and to advance as a driver. I plan to give it my all for the remaining seven races of this season, and I will announce my plans for next season in due course.

The identity of the second McLaren driver for the 2019 season was also announced, with the confirmation that young Lando Norris, currently second in the F2 championship, will make his debut. Zak Brown confirmed: « With Lando and Carlos, we have an impressive duo who, despite their relative youth, have good experience in F1 and with McLaren. They represent the next generation of McLaren drivers to take the team forward. Even though our short-term goal is to achieve the best possible results for the rest of the 2018 season, we are extremely motivated by the opportunities ahead. »