3
Former F1 driver Thierry Boutsen has advised fellow Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne to be patient while McLaren-Honda works its way back to success. Currently, the McLaren-Honda package is stuck in the midfield pack but has improved since the start of the season.
Vandoorne is taking part in his first ever full season in Formula 1 and seems to have come out of his shell in recent rounds, which differed from the early events when his performances were a shadow of his teammate Fernando Alonso. Boutsen admits that he is upset seeing McLaren where it currently is.
"If you like Formula 1, it hurts to see where they are," Boutsen told the Dutch publication Formule 1. But Stoffel must persevere. As a driver you have to block out the rear view mirror because you have to always look ahead. He still has time.
"He's only 25 and my first victory also took time. But I knew from the start 'Give me a good car and you'll hear the Belgian anthem'. So he must have patience. From what I saw in the lower classes I can say confidently that Stoffel has the potential to be world champion."
Boutsen added that Vandoorne must remember that he came to Formula 1 because of how he impressed in the junior categories. The former Williams driver said that it is very difficult for a Belgian driver to make it to F1 due to a lack of major sponsors.
"For Belgians it is so much harder to get to F1," he confirmed. "Belgium has no big sponsors, so you have to do it all alone. I know it well, as at Williams I was better than my teammate Riccardo Patrese but as an Italian he was commercially more interesting. And another sponsor, Labatt, wanted a driver for the British market, which was Nigel Mansell. As a Belgian you always have to show more than an Englishman, Italian or German."
Fergal Walsh
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
M. Verstappen
C. Sainz jr
C. Leclerc
Bahrain
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
Australia
Albert Park
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
Monaco
Monte Carlo
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Austria
Red Bull Ring
United Kingdom
Silverstone
Hungary
Hungaroring
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Italy
Monza
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Brazil
Interlagos
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
185,441 comments on Aston Martin
78 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Fernando Alonso
158,025 comments on Williams 39 members have this team as their favourite Tweets about Williams
Replies (3)
Login to replyf1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
Feel a bit sorry for Vandoorne, he's really talented
Barron
Posts: 625
Boutson was "better than Patrese". Really?
Barron
Posts: 625
Sorry *Boutsen*. I think it was more of a battle between the no. 2's. He never got over being dropped for Mansell, but it is true he brought better results than Patrese..