Stoffel Vandoorne says that he was a “passenger” on the straights at Suzuka due to McLaren’s lack of straight-line speed.
Vandoorne has had a wretched second season in Formula 1 having failed to escape Q1 since Canada, with his points drought now up to 13 Grands Prix.
It is the longest point-less run by a McLaren driver since Patrick Tambay in 1979.
Vandoorne lined up from 19th on the grid and raced to 15th position, overhauling both Williams drivers across the course of the 53-lap Grand Prix.
“It wasn’t a great race for us,” said Vandoorne, who will lose his Formula 1 drive at the end of the season.
“It was pretty difficult at the beginning, and there wasn’t really any possibility to resist the quicker cars. We were more or less passengers on the straights.
“At least the race turned out a little bit better towards the end, and we managed to beat a few cars on pace.
“With the tyre degradation, we were able to make them last and make a one-stop work, catch up with some cars and hold some other cars behind us.
“I think that was more or less the maximum possible.”
Vandoorne finished within a second of McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso.
The team has scored just 18 points since the opening quartet of events, and holds a 15-point advantage over the re-born Force India squad in the scrap for sixth in the standings.
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