Vandoorne: “We can aim for points”

Stoffel Vandoorne would have liked to see both McLaren MCL33 qualify for Q3 of the Australian GP. The 2015 GP2 Series champion finished in 12th position, less than two tenths behind his teammate Fernando Alonso but the two residents of the British team will gain a position by taking advantage of Valtteri Bottas' penalty (Mercedes).

“We are a little disappointed not to see both cars in Q3, confirmed the Belgian. It’s all the more regrettable as we showed good potential yesterday during the dry tests. There is still work to do on our side, the mid-grid teams are close and they have progressed since the day before. »

Like his teammate, Stoffel Vandoorne remains optimistic given the development base offered with the MCL33.

“There was clearly potential to improve well today, but we failed. We still have a good reference brand and the partnership between McLaren and Renault is only just beginning. So there are still many things to develop. We know that we will progress throughout the year and we hope to benefit from it very quickly. The weather could also have an impact on the race and we can aim for points if we can stay out of trouble.", specified Stoffel Vandoorne.

If the weather remains dry for the race, McLaren drivers will also have the advantage of being able to choose their tire type for the first stint.