Stoffel Vandoorne on the road to the 'new' Renault F1 team ?
SEPTEMBER 24, 2015 - Does Renault in Formula 1? We still have no definitive answer about but Renault was our compatriot already on the shortlist as a possible rider for 2016.
Where Stoffel Vandoorne driving in 2016? It's a question we ask ourselves more emphatically than when Vandoorne actually GP2 champion will be.
This makes sense because Vandoorne dominates this year's GP2 season as never seen before. Earlier this year it was the explicit demand of McLaren, which had Vandoorne finishing second season in GP2. The expectation was that McLaren Vandoorne would not only win the GP2 title, but also emphasize once again in the spotlight would drive.
And whether Vandoorne did. 108 points ahead of Alexander Rossi Vandoorne, indeed, the American who must finish five races this season for Manor F1 team. During the next GP2 race in Sochi can Vandoorne put the GP2 title to his name, and which deal with a further two race weekends. Vandoorne drove emphatically in the spotlight and not only at McLaren, where he is part of the McLaren Young Driver program, but also our compatriot is driven into the spotlight with the other F1 teams.
However, the problem remains that McLaren with a luxury problem is. Alonso and Button as a current driver line and reserve driver Kevin Magnussen on the bench was the end of last year already clear when McLaren after months of procrastination finally cut the knot and Magnussen after only one F1 season on the side pushed for Alonso and Button retained as second driver.
But what seems to be moving in the F1 world. Jenson Button announced in Japan probably his retirement from Formula 1, with which a race seat would be released at McLaren. Moreover, it would also Fernando Alonso's poor results of McLaren-Honda are tired. The Spaniard would have come to the realization that he at McLaren-Honda next year not for the world will be able to compete.
Alonso was in Singapore spotted in the mobile home of Red Bull, which obviously does fuel the speculation about a possible move to Red Bull. Theoretically, that is possible because in the contract the Spaniard a clause that he can get on smoothly with disappointing results at McLaren. That would mean that McLaren suddenly must complete two race seats, though it seems to us unlikely that this will happen.
More remarkable, however, is that Vandoorne his name at Renault would be emphatically in the picture. The French car manufacturer is still to decide whether to continue in F1. If that is the case then it will probably happen through an acquisition of the Lotus F1 team, where Pastor Maldonado has already been confirmed. Romain Grosjean should give way to another driver and rider could well Stoffel Vandoorne may be, however.
Vandoorne which not only McLaren could ride for another team? It definitely belongs to the possibilities. Monza showed McLaren team boss Eric Boullier indeed still understood that the squad would do everything to Vandoorne next year to get a race seat in Formula 1, if need be with another team.
"Another team" that would according to sources of 'Het Laatste Nieuws' so Renault can be. "We plan the young drivers that give us grew up with an important role in our project" Let someone know of Renault against the same newspaper.
And then of course it is not surprising that there is to Stoffel Vandoorne imagined. Our compatriot, after all, fits perfectly into this picture because Vandoorne took part in the Formula Renault 2.0 (champion) and Formula Renault 3.5 (runner-up).
Moreover, 'Het Laatste Nieuws' that Renault lot of staff work that "bridge the gap between the French team and Vandoorne." Starting McLaren boss Eric Boullier, who spent years working for Renault and Lotus F1 team. Boullier still has a good relationship with Gerard Lopez, the current Lotus owner who is also a takeover by Renault portion would remain part of the squad.
There is also Cédric Vasseur, the team boss of Stoffel Vandoorne in GP2. Vasseur could potentially play an important role at Renault. Of course there is also Nicolas Todt, son of FIA boss Jean Todt, and also the manager of Pastor Maldonado. Todt would be only too happy to be the manager of Vandoorne, who is considered one of the greatest talents.
'Het Laatste Nieuws' saw Sergio Perez called a potential hijacker on the coast. After all, they have a big bag sponsorship with the Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim. But the hijacker was dropped last night because Perez was confirmed for next season with the Force India team.
His chances for Vandoorne increased at an F1 race seat in 2016? That we may well ask, if you are not certain of a race seat in Formula 1 when you signed your contract. Though even that is no certainty yet that if the Dutchman Giedo van der Garde early this year encounter with the Sauber F1 team.
Nevertheless, we estimate the probability of an F1 race seat for Vandoorne today much higher than a few weeks ago, as there have arisen additional opportunities through the events of the past days.
It will be interesting times for the Belgian F1 fans ...