Stoffel Vandoorne admits he had moments of doubt in 2017, when he struggled to perform at his expected level in the first half of the season.
The first few months of the Belgian's maiden season of Grand Prix racing were riddled with reliability issues as Honda failed to deliver a competitive and trusty power unit.
But Vandoorne's approach to his driving was also called into question, forcing the 25-year-old to rethink his adaption to F1 and work more closely with his engineers.
Asked what 2017 taught him, the McLaren driver told Belgian daily Het Laatste Nieuws: "That you should never doubt yourself.
"That you have to stick to your self-confidence, no matter what, and I did that.
"Ok, in those first difficult months I felt a bit of doubt here and there, but I also said to myself that it is not possible that I lost all my talent over one winter time."
Vandoorne says his passing doubts have ultimately made him a better driver.
"It has made me stronger for the rest of my career, and for the day that I get a car to fight for wins," he added.
"I have learned a lot from all those problems, how to deal with them and how to find a solution."
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