McLaren driver Vandoorne hired by Mercedes for 2019

Ousted McLaren driver, Stoffel Vandoorne, has been confirmed as the Mercedes simulator driver for 2019 alongside the German team’s reserve driver, Esteban Ocon. The Belgian will also race in Formula E for a Mercedes-backed team in HWA.

“I’ll be doing the simulator work in the F1 team for them, with Mercedes,” said Vandoorne. “That’s an exciting part for me as well, to still be involved in the F1 world, to be with the world champions as well.

“It will be a very interesting move. I’m sure I can bring them a lot of fresh ideas, but also for me to see the differences there are, because I’ve only been at work with McLaren in F1.”

Vandoorne was part of the McLaren young driver’s programme and impressed their top bosses to be drafted in as a replacement for an injured Fernando Alonso in 2016. He impressively finished tenth, scoring vital points, which led them to give him a permanent contract in 2017.

Not everything has gone to plan since that promotion though. Vandoorne’s rookie tendencies were glaring, especially with a teammate as intimidating as Alonso, who frequently out-qualified him in a vastly slow McLaren.

Many of his rivals have come out to say he is a talented driver who was unfortunate to face the axe, none more so than Magnussen, who instead put the blame on McLaren, claiming that they made the Belgian a scapegoat for their own troubles.

McLaren decided to promote yet another of their junior drivers, Lando Norris, for next year alongside Carlos Sainz Jr., who joins from Red Bull via a loan deal with Renault. The young Brit has impressed in F2 this year, though he eventually lost the title after a close fight.

With this latest gig, Vandoorne will be hoping to be in the notice of F1 teams and possibly force his way back into the sport if at all any team is on the lookout for a new driver.