Vandoorne: 'Alonso not my mentor!'

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McLaren Stoffel Vandoorne sees team mate Fernando Alonso as just another competitor, dispelling the notion the Spaniard is a mentor for the Belgian charger.

Vandoorne endured a troubled start to his first full season of Formula 1, hindered in the first half of the season by Honda's reliability woes and by an inability to extract the most out of his MCL32 compared to his prestigious team mate.

The 25-year-old put his head down and improved his driving over the summer, eventually performing on a par with Alonso.

Vandoorne denied however that his relationship was comparable to that of Lance Stroll and Felipe Massa at Williams, insisting teh two-time world champion was not his mentor.

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"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."

Vandoorne admitted however that racing alongside one of F1's greatest drivers did have its benefits.

"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.

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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.