Vandoorne to leave McLaren after 2018 season; Norris joins

London, September 3: Stoffel Vandoorne will leave McLaren at the end of the Formula One season.Teenager Lando Norris will join Carlos Sainz Jr at McLaren from the 2019 Formula One season.

Norris, who turns 19 in November, will take the seat vacated by Stoffel Vandoorne, having signed a multi-year agreement with McLaren.

The Belgian Vandoorne, who joined the team's young driver programme in 2013, made his debut as a deputy for Fernando Alonso at the 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix.

It was announced last month that two-time world champion Alonso will leave F1 at the end of this season.

Last week, Sauber dismissed reports that they were in talks with Vandoorne, who has managed to pick up eight points this season.

If I could go back and tell this guy he’d be a @McLarenF1 driver in 2019, he wouldn’t believe me. Amazing opportunity. Dream come true #Lando19 pic.twitter.com/v0MZISgxrj
— Lando Norris (@LandoNorris) September 3, 2018

Meanwhile, Norris has operated as the team's test and reserve driver this season alongside his F2 duties and got his first taste of F1 by participating in free practice ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.

Norris joined McLaren's young driver programme in 2017, winning that year's F3 championship, and completes a new-look line-up that will also see Sainz replace two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso.

"To be announced as a race driver for McLaren is a dream come true. Although I've been part of the team for a while now, this is a special moment, one I could only hope would become reality," said Norris.

"I'd like to thank the whole team for this amazing opportunity and for believing in me. I'm also extremely grateful for the commitment McLaren has already shown in my development, allowing me to build my experience in a Formula One car in both testing and on Fridays during the past two race weekends."

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown added: "We believe Lando is an exciting talent, full of potential, who we've very deliberately kept within the McLaren fold for exactly that reason.

"In Lando and Carlos we have an impressive duo who, despite their relative youth, hold valuable experience in Formula One and with McLaren, and represent the next generation of McLaren drivers to lead the team forward.

"While our short-term focus is fixed on securing the best possible result for the remainder of the 2018 season, we're also massively motivated by the opportunities that lie ahead."

McLaren today confirms that Stoffel Vandoorne will leave the team after the end of the 2018 season. https://t.co/yIQonPAnwj
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) September 3, 2018

Vandoorne, on the other hand, thanked McLaren for having him. "I'm very grateful to McLaren for investing their faith in me over the past five years. I joined McLaren as a young driver and have since seen my career progress within the team from test and development driver to reserve driver and then to full-time race driver," said Vandoorne.

"While we haven't achieved the success we'd all hoped for, I've really enjoyed the past two seasons racing for McLaren and I have a great relationship with everyone in the team.

"My time at McLaren has been a great chapter in my career and I'm thankful for the opportunity the team, Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa and Mansour Ojjeh have given me to gain valuable Formula One experience and develop as a driver.

"I intend to give it my all for the remaining seven races of this season and will announce my plans for next season in due course."

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said: "It's clear we haven't provided Stoffel with the tools to show his true talent, but throughout our relationship he's proved to be a fantastic team player.

"His work ethic is impressive, he has a great reputation within the team and we've really enjoyed working with him. Of course, we would have loved to achieve more success during our time together, but that doesn't detract from the fact that he will always be a part of the McLaren family of grand prix drivers."