Stoffel Vandoorne shares his turbulent time at McLaren, facing challenges during the team's struggles, his mental wellbeing, and preparation for his F1 debut. Topics include the drama of signing the McLaren contract, struggles on the grid, and the impact on motivation and enjoyment of racing.
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Quick takeaways
Vandoorne faced management changes, technical issues, and performance limits at McLaren, impacting his confidence and motivation.
Transitioning to endurance racing, Vandoorne prioritizes Le Mans and values teamwork in long-distance races.
Deep dives
Stoffel Van Dorn Reflects on His Formula One Journey
Stoffel Van Dorn reflects on his Formula One journey, highlighting the challenges faced at McLaren, the transition from Honda to Renault power units, and the team dynamics. Despite initial success, he discusses his struggles with motivation and feeling unsupported, leading to his departure from McLaren. Van Dorn also shares insights into his current racing experiences in Formula E and endurance racing.
Transition to Endurance Racing and Formula E
Van Dorn discusses his transition to endurance racing and Formula E with Mercedes after leaving Formula One. He explains his focus on Le Mans as a major career goal outside of Formula One. Van Dorn emphasizes the team aspect and the satisfaction of long-distance races.
Challenges and Reflections on McLaren Stint
During his time at McLaren, Van Dorn talks about the struggles faced due to management changes, technical issues, and performance limitations. He reflects on the impact of challenging car setups and external pressures on his confidence and motivation. The discussion includes insights into his mindset and lessons learned from the Formula One experience.
Family Influence and Future Aspirations
Van Dorn shares the significant influence of his family, particularly his father, on his racing career. He expresses gratitude for their support and highlights the importance of enjoying the journey. Looking to the future, Van Dorn mentions potential opportunities to test for Aston Martin and reflects on his readiness to return to competitive racing challenges.
A multiple title winner at junior level and a point-scorer on his unexpected F1 debut in 2016, Stoffel Vandoorne seemed on track for a long and prosperous career in Formula 1.
But his big break at McLaren in 2017 arrived during one of the team’s most challenging periods.
They finished second-last in the standings during Vandoorne’s first season, endured a difficult transition from Honda to Renault engines the following year, and there was huge organisational change at the top as Zak Brown came in as CEO.
After just seven points-finishes in two years, with a best result of P7, Stoffel was replaced by Lando Norris for 2019 and he hasn’t raced in F1 since.
Now a Test and Reserve driver for Aston Martin, the Belgian tells Tom Clarkson how he prepared for his first race in F1 at such short notice, the drama of signing his first McLaren contract, where it all went wrong during his two seasons on the grid, and what impact those struggles had on his mental wellbeing, motivation and enjoyment of racing.
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