McLaren's Boullier reveals one wish Norris won't get in 2018

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McLaren's new reserve driver Lando Norris has one wish for 2018, but race director Eric Boullier has already told the team's young charger not to get his hopes up for its realization.

As the Woking-based outfit's third driver, Norris could be called upon to fill a race seat should either Fernando Alonso or Stoffel Vandoorne become unavailable for any reason.

The 18-year-old European F3 winner has already tested extensively with McLaren this year, but Norris is also pushing for a few FP1 outings next season alongside his F2 campaign with Carlin, an unlikely prospect according to Boullier.

Lando Norris looking forward to learning from Alonso

"He will spend a lot of time in the simulator and he will have the opportunity to test," Boullier told the official Formula 1 website when discussing his junior driver's schedule.

"He was also pushing to get some FP1 outings, but I am not a fan of this – but he will still have a busy life!"

The Frenchman's reluctance to see Norris run on Fridays takes nothing away however from his very positive view on his talent.

"I hope that he will one day drive for McLaren – that's why we took him on board," Boullier added.

"But first is F2 – a good sporting challenge for him."

As for Norris, his performance in Pirelli's post-season tyre test in Abu Dhabi reaffirmed his belief that he could step up to the big time in heartbeat if required.

"Of course it’s difficult to say after just doing two test days in Formula 1, but they both went very well," he said.

"I did what I had to, and it gave me some more confidence to know that if I did have to go into a race next season, it might not be quite as good as Fernando, but I would say I’m not too far off."

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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.