McLaren on the back foot, but Vandoorne determined to push

©McLaren

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For Stoffel Vandoorne, the excitement of embarking this weekend on his first full season of Formula 1 largely exceeds the niggles of driving an uncompetitive car.

The Belgian will actually line up on an F1 grid for the second time in his career, having done his baptism of fire in Bahrain last year and collected a world championship point in the process.

Melbourne can't come soon enough for the 24-year-old who has now reached his first milestone: to become a fully fledged Grand Prix driver!

"Since my position as full-time racing driver for McLaren-Honda was confirmed back in September, it feels like the Australian Grand Prix weekend has been a long time coming," said the 2015 GP2 champion.

"It’s a great feeling knowing that I’m about to start my full first season in Formula 1 and it’s a dream I’ve been working towards for my entire racing career.

"I’m looking forward to stepping into the MCL32 cockpit on Friday morning and I feel totally ready for the challenge ahead.

"I’ve prepared very well over the winter, worked a lot on my training and in particular my strength and endurance, and I’m incredibly motivated to work hard with the team to make improvements step by step.

"I’ll be pushing hard as always and I’m looking forward to getting back into the car."

Alonso hopes for the best, expects the worse

McLaren-Honda's power unit woes, the unfortunate longevity of which appears to rival that of an American soap-opera, have the popular Woking-based team once agin on the back foot.

While hardly oblivious of McLaren's quandary, Vandoorne has right chosen to see the proverbial glass as half full, and he'll take his racing one day at a time.

"In terms of performance, I’m not setting myself any particular targets, other than to keep my head down, learn a lot from the team and from Fernando, and do my best.

"I know the guys and girls at McLaren and Honda very well, and I feel very much part of the family, so there’s no sense of nervousness about starting my first full season as a Formula 1 driver.

"It’s my first time in Australia so I’ll be soaking up the atmosphere, enjoying the buzz of the first race of the season, and we’ll see how the weekend unfolds from there."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.