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Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul has admitted he has an eye on Stoffel Vandoorne.
Renault might have a vacancy for 2019, as Carlos Sainz is linked with a return to Red Bull to replace Daniel Ricciardo.
And Abiteboul has admitted McLaren driver Vandoorne is an attractive option for the future.
"Do not say that Stoffel will join Renault because it is absolutely not the case," he told La Derniere Heure.
"But he is a driver that we look at. When I wonder about the possible options, I take Vandoorne into consideration."
Vandoorne entered F1 as a highly rated rookie last year, but has at times struggled alongside Fernando Alonso at McLaren.
Abiteboul said: "I think his situation is quite difficult. I don't know the ins and outs, but sometimes a change of environment allows a driver to get the oxygen to bounce back.
"He was fast, talented, consistent in all of the lower categories and there is no reason for all that to disappear," he insisted. "But when you have Fernando next door it's complicated, especially in McLaren's circumstances of recent years.
"But he is a high level driver that we can look at in the future, depending on how our situation evolves," said Abiteboul.
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Replies (4)
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Posts: 341
Jury's out for me on vD - he's just not shown that he can cope with the big boys - there's nothing he's done to date that shows he could get close to the Hulk if this scenario pans-out.
mcbhargav
Posts: 1,332
Vandoorne should have joined Toro Rosso, or a Sauber. But, McLaren's sponsorship complicated things a bit.
ajpennypacker
Posts: 2,475
Damn way to stir the pot Cyril. Good for Stoffel though. He is clearly very talented, but I'm still puzzled as to why he has been so underwhelming in F1.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
The climb up to F1 is higher than ever, and while Vandoorne has done well in other series, he just might not be the kinda material McLaren hyped him up to be.I'd argue that he might also underperform a bit due to pressure and or the car not really fitting his driving style. But his lack of performance makes Gasly and Le Clerc look all the more competent and promising.