Vandoorne: "Alonso not here to be my mentor"

  • Published on 13 Nov 2017 15:28
  • comments 5
  • By: Rob Veenstra

Stoffel Vandoorne says he does not need Fernando Alonso's help in formula one. After a sluggish start, Belgian rookie Vandoorne is now regularly competitive alongside his McLaren teammate Alonso, who is arguably one of the best F1 drivers ever.

"He's probably the best reference in formula one," Vandoorne agrees. "I have a good relationship with him, even if there is a lot of competition, which is normal. We do not have a strong package this year, but it has been positive for me because I had the chance to get quite close to him," he added.

But Vandoorne, 25, said it is wrong to compare his relationship with Alonso to Felipe Massa's with Lance Stroll at Williams this year. Vandoorne insists Alonso was not his "mentor". "No!" he told Brazil's Globo.

"Of course we work together on the same team and in the same direction, but he does not stand next to me helping. We are very open and have normal conversations when we are out of the car," Vandoorne added. "But he is not there to be my mentor. Maybe Lance needs this, I don't know."

Replies (5)

Login to reply
  • "may be Lance needs this". May be he is right, when engineers had to guide on the braking zones.

    • + 0
    • Nov 13 2017 - 17:02
  • Maybe not, but if you want to be something in F1 you might want to learn from him. The utter difference between the two has been very significant, even when considering Alonso getting most of the new parts first.

    • + 0
    • Nov 13 2017 - 20:26
    • I think Alonso is just not someone who acts like a mentor, and Stoffel doesn't want to give credit for something he didn't get. Right before and after the summer break he was matching Alonso, then penalties and the new aera for Alonso made any comparison impossible until Brazil, where Alonso beat him as much as at the start of the season again. We'll see in Abu Dhabi whether he can compensate. In any case, he's closer to Alonso than Stroll is to Massa, and Massa is no Alonso.

      • + 0
      • Nov 13 2017 - 21:15
    • He doesnt have to be a direct mentor, Vandoorne can still learn a great deal from him if he is observant enough. I dont expect or want him to bow down and scream "Notice me, Alonso Senpai-san-sama-dono-kuuuuun", I want him to observe, learn, and get up there and race him. I'll give him that he hasnt been as dominated as e.g Palmer was by Hulk, but Alonso has certainly been much better this year.

      • + 0
      • Nov 13 2017 - 21:27
    • I see no reason to assume Vandoorne hasn't learned as much as he could from Alonso. All he's saying is that Alonso hasn't acted like a mentor to him.

      Alonso was much better during the first half the season. After that, hardly at all, until Brazil, where Stoffel fell ill.

      Abu Dhabi is a track Stoffel knows, unlike Interlagos, so we'll get a good final benchmark.

      • + 0
      • Nov 14 2017 - 21:47

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 20:50

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 20:50

World Championship standings 2025

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
14 - Mar 16
Australia
21 - Mar 23
China
4 - Apr 6
Japan
11 - Apr 13
Bahrain
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia
2 - May 4
United States of America
16 - May 18
Italy
23 - May 25
Monaco
30 - Jun 1
Spain
13 - Jun 15
Canada
27 - Jun 29
Austria
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom
25 - Jul 27
Belgium
1 - Aug 3
Hungary
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands
5 - Sep 7
Italy
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan
3 - Oct 5
Singapore
17 - Oct 19
United States of America
24 - Oct 26
Mexico
7 - Nov 9
Brazil
21 - Nov 23
United States of America
28 - Nov 30
Qatar
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
14 - Mar 16
Australia Albert Park
21 - Mar 23
4 - Apr 6
11 - Apr 13
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
2 - May 4
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
16 - May 18
23 - May 25
Monaco Monte Carlo
30 - Jun 1
13 - Jun 15
27 - Jun 29
Austria Red Bull Ring
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom Silverstone
25 - Jul 27
1 - Aug 3
Hungary Hungaroring
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
5 - Sep 7
Italy Monza
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
3 - Oct 5
17 - Oct 19
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
24 - Oct 26
7 - Nov 9
Brazil Interlagos
21 - Nov 23
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
28 - Nov 30
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team -
  • Points -
  • Podiums -
  • Grand Prix -
  • Country BE
  • Date of b. Mar 26 1992 (33)
  • Place of b. Kortrijk, BE
  • Weight 65 kg
  • Length 1.77 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar