Why McLaren's new star has looked second rate
Stoffel Vandoorne came into Formula 1 with a huge reputation from junior racing, but has been one of the disappointments of 2017 so far. Why has that happened, and can he turn things around?
Stoffel Vandoorne's promotion to a full-time race seat in Formula 1 was meant to be a seminal moment for the McLaren-Honda team. McLaren considers Vandoorne to be the real deal - a young superstar around which the squad can shape its long-term future.
Vandoorne is meant to be McLaren's answer to Max Verstappen, one of an elite breed of junior single-seater stars of recent seasons - alongside Mercedes proteges Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon, and Ferrari hopefuls Antonio Giovinazzi and Charles Leclerc - considered to have the potential to dazzle in F1 if given sufficient opportunity.
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