Vandoorne: 'A useful exercise and a step forward'

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McLaren's Stoffel Vandoorne completed his full test programme with Pirelli on Tuesday without any drama, the Belgian clocking in at the end of the day just shy of 100 laps.

Vandoorne picked up where Lando Norris had left off the day before in the Woking-based outfit's second MCL33, putting Pirelli's 2019 rubber through its paces.

The McLaren was forced to run all day with the same set-up, to validate comparison tests between the tyres, but it was still an effective session for Vandoorne.

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"It was a good day and we covered a lot of laps in a relatively short period," said the 26-year-old.

"We were testing for Pirelli to help them develop the tyres, but also for me it was good to be back in the car and deal with different changes without adjusting the set-up, and that was definitely a useful exercise.

Vandoorne assumed the team's workload on Tuesday in the team's updated MCL33, but reverted to the older-spec car for the Pirelli test, which offered the opportunity for a direct compare.

"Today’s running was also valuable as I was able to get a little bit of a feel for the comparison between the two packages, as today I reverted back to the older spec," he said.

"It meant I could see like-for-like what the improvements are in the new package and how they affect the car performance.

"The upgrades have behaved as they should, and I definitely feel that we made a step forward here this weekend."

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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.