Carlos Sainz was given a two-year contract by McLaren, but the Spaniard hopes to piggyback on the team's long-term growth and hopefully its resurgence.
Sainz has moved from Renault - Formula 1's top midfield contender - to Woking, banking on a turnaround of Grand Prix racing's second most successful team behind Ferrari.
McLaren has undergone a transformation in the past year, restructuring its management and its technical department, the finality of which is still in the works.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown recently stated that the outfit's recovery process will follow a five-year plan, and Sainz hopes to be an integral part of his team's longer term foundation.
"I have a two-year agreement with the team, but as a driver and also a fan of McLaren, I want to see the team grow," Sainz told Spain's Marca.
"I want to do a good first year and a good start when it comes to integrating into the McLaren family, but my goal at the moment is to spend several years here.
"I will go from year to year, but I want to be one of the key pieces that will help McLaren get back to the top."
©McLaren
In the short term however, McLaren will have its work cut out for it in 2019.
Sainz is fully aware of the challenges that lie immediately ahead, but the 24-year-old, who will embark on his fifth season of F1, wants to see improvement.
"I want to see better results than in 2018," he added.
"McLaren is perfectly capable and that's why I'm here. It's the second most successful team in the history of F1.
"They have won before and hopefully they remember how.
"Little by little, in a medium-term project, they will start climbing the steps to the top."
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