Stoffel Vandoorne named McLaren F1 Team reserve

In 2013, in its Young Driver Program, McLaren had two fine triggers. As proof, they fought an epic duel for the Formula title Renault 3.5 Series. Danish Kevin Magnussen, who already had one season under his belt in the discipline, finally won the prize, while being promoted to F1 alongside the Briton Jenson Button. Rookie and also 21 years old, Stoffel Vandoorne was not unworthy, far from it. The Woking firm knows that the Belgian has immense potential, and that is why it decided to appoint him as a reserve and test driver for its F1 team.

“I am delighted and honored to have been chosen by McLaren Mercedes to be their reserve driver in 2014, underlines the main person concerned. At the same time, I am very excited by the fact of having been selected to race with ART Grand Prix in GP2 in 2014." The native of Kortrijk joins Fred Vasseur's team in GP2 Series, where he will team up with the Japanese Takuya Izawa. “I have been a member of the McLaren Young Driver Program for a year now and have learned a lot during this time. I go to the McLaren Technology Center at least once a week to help the engineers develop the new MP4-29. 

Sports director of the British team, Sam Michel is full of praise for his protégé. “Stoffel is a truly excellent young driver, fast, combative, consistent, intelligent and ambitious,” he admits. He has already made an excellent impression at McLaren during the year he spent with the McLaren Young Driver Program. His technical contribution is first rate, he is very useful on our simulator and is not afraid of the workload. It is, at McLaren, as useful as it is popular. »

In the GP2 Series, Stoffel Vandoorne will notably cross paths with the Italian Raffaele Marciello, protégé of the Team Ferrari and FIA European champion F3 outgoing.