McLaren reserve drive Stoffel Vandoorne has said he expects a decision on whether he is to get a 2017 McLaren race seat soon, though says he also has other 2017 F1 race seat options.
Vandoorne has been tipped to replace Jenson Button in McLaren's 2017 race line-up, and the team has said it will make a decision this month. Speaking in Monza today the Belgian said that he hopes the decision is made "soon", as well as that a 2017 McLaren race seat is "the best that can happen to me."
"This is definitely what I want" he said. "My priority is to get a race drive here, this is what I've been working for a long time.
"I've always said that if this for some reason it doesn't work out then I'm pretty sure there are other options available, but at the moment I'm concentrating 100% to get a race drive here.
"We always said that from this race we are going to start talking and see how things develop for next year, hopefully a decision comes soon.
"The sooner the decision comes the better it is for everyone."
Vandoorne confirmed also that his alternative options to McLaren for next year are race seats in F1. "Definitely I need to get a race drive next year, that's 100% the focus.
"It's [a F1 race seat] definitely what I'm aiming for, I don't think I'm in a position anymore to accept a reserve driver role anywhere, I've done this now this year and in the past years I've been testing F1 cars." He added too that he does not believe that it's too late to explore other F1 race seat options for next year. "I'm pretty confident" he said.
Vandoorne added that he is using his year racing for Honda in Super Formula to get himself more familiar with Honda and Japan, which he thinks will help his case. "It's definitely been positive to build a relationship with Honda and learn a bit of the Japanese culture as well which is very different to what we're used to in Europe. So I think it's been a good preparation.
"Every time I go to Japan I try to spend a lot of time with the key people at Honda, and try even to visit their office in Tokyo. I'm planning to visit [Honda motorsports' R&D facility] Sakura later this year as well…it can definitely help me for the future."
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