Vandoorne uninterested in F1 return

Stoffel Vandoorne insists he isn't looking for a return into Formula One in the immediate future and is instead fully focused on his new Formula E career. The Belgian will leave McLaren after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and join the HWA Formula E team for the 2018/19 season.

Vandoorne has had a difficult career since joining Formula One alongside two-time world champion Fernando Alonso. After dominating in GP2 and being called up to the team, Vandoorne has found himself off of his teammate's pace and lingering at the back of the field despite his talent.

Speaking ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix, the McLaren driver revealed that he was uninterested in an immediate return to F1 and would instead be focusing solely on his Formula E drive with HWA.

"I think I’m starting a new challenge which I’m really looking forward to with HWA in Formula E. I don’t really have a break this winter, I’m going straight into that.

“My mindset is to do the best job there, so whatever happens in the future, it’s difficult to tell at this moment. We’ve seen the driver market this summer has been a little bit crazy, and no-one could have really expected what has happened.

“Things like that can happen in the future, and who knows what is going to happen? For now, I’m just focusing on Formula E and trying to do the best job there.”

Vandoorne's struggles have only been magnified by performances by his experienced and championship calibre teammate in Alonso, dragging the poor McLaren MCL33 to positions it has no right being in whereas the 26-year-old has been less able to replicate the Spaniard's pace.

“Definitely it’s not been the best two seasons. I think I’ve had a great time with McLaren through the junior series, and they’ve supported me a lot to make the step into Formula 1.

“But the two years I’ve had in Formula 1 have been good in terms of experienced, but I would have much preferred to fight higher up.

“I think the timing was right to get to Formula 1. I think I was with the right team with the right support. I just think the competitiveness we’ve had over those two years has not been great. It would have been nicer to fight a bit higher up.”