Vandoorne: comparison with Red Bull is “logical”

If the poor performance of McLaren explained in recent years by the presence of the Honda engine, the latest performance of the Japanese block installed on the Toro Rosso STR13 had something to think about as to the origin of the disappointing results obtained in recent years.

While Pierre Gasly took fourth place last Sunday at the Bahrain GP for his seventh start in F1, McLaren barely placed its two cars in the points with Fernando Alonso seventh ahead of his teammate Stoffel Vandoorne.

The 2015 GP2 Series champion explained to AUTOhebdo that the Woking team still needed time before optimizing the potential of its new package.

“You are always under pressure in F1, no matter what engine you put in your car. It's part of the DNA of sport, explained the Belgian. We have clearly identified reference points such as Red Bull and it is logical to be compared with them. We are only at the start of the season, so we have to be patient a little and wait for new parts to arrive to see exactly where we are in the hierarchy. »

“It is positive to have developments, but they need to be tested, analyzed and understood to deliver their full potential. And then everyone makes improvements, so you have to do a better job than the competition…”, added the McLaren driver.

Discover the full interview with Stoffel Vandoorne and the analysis of the Bahrain GP in issue 2160 of AUTOhebdo, available now in digital version on all platforms and on newsstands.