Source: McLaren Media Centre

F1 News

Alonso defends team mate Vandoorne

Alonso defends team mate Vandoorne

22-07-2018 12:01
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Bobby Vincent

McLaren driver Fernando Alonso defends the performances of his team mate Stoffel Vandoorne, despite disappointing season.

Fernando Alonso believes that Stoffel Vandoorne is closer to him than Kimi Raikkonen was when Alonso was at Ferrari.

The Spaniard has out qualified the Belgian in every single race in 2018 and has always finished in front of him in the Grand Prix.

Vandoorne was introduced to the world of Formula One back in 2015, but McLaren's MCL33 hasn't brought the best out of him this season.

It can't be easy for Vandoorne, having the pressure of a two-time world champion alongside him to try and out perform each racing weekend.

"He always a be a little bit behind, it's difficult to beat me," Alonso joked to GP Fans.

"If you see previous team-mates, they were a lot further (behind) than Stoffel. In 2014, it was six or seven tenths to Kimi every race. It's less than that now.

"He arrived (in F1) in a difficult car with some difficulties last year and this year as well. But he's OK, and he will be very close in performance as soon as the car is delivering normal performance.

"(There's) nothing really to say to him. And for his reputation, you just need to wait and see, or see the results before Silverstone, or last year, in terms of qualifying."