Vandoorne aiming to bounce back after Hungary DNF

Stoffel Vandoorne is hoping to bounce back at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix following his heartbreak at the Hungarian race last month. The 26-year-old was running inside the points and was on for his first score in seven races, before a gearbox issue forced him to retire.

Vandoorne's teammate Fernando Alonso admits that McLaren is expecting a big challenge to score points at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, but Vandoorne is hoping he can be egged on at his home race. He is aiming to carry through Hungary's momentum into Belgium and Italy, which will be back-to-back races.

“Although the DNF was hugely disappointing in Hungary, I had a much more positive feeling in the car and my main objective is to carry this momentum forward to Spa and these back-to-back races,” Vandoorne said.

“Spa is also my favourite track – as it is for many other drivers – and I’ve raced there all through my junior career, so it feels like a second home for me and I hope we can put on a good show for the Belgian fans,” the 2015 GP2 champion added.

Vandoorne's future is in major doubt, as McLaren is currently evaluating its second seat for 2019. Carlos Sainz has already been confirmed at the team, while Lando Norris will be proving his worth over the next two weeks while driving in free practice 1 at Spa and Monza.

Fergal Walsh