Vandoorne in search of 'progress and improvement' in Austria

©McLaren

McLaren continues to struggle for pace as last weekend's French Grand Prix demonstrated, but Stoffel Vandoorne is hoping for improvements to emerge in Austria.

Last Sunday, the Belgian spent most of his afternoon at the tail end of the field but eventually managed to move up the order a bit to finish P12.

While the MCL33's pace was better in race trim than in qualifying, it still wasn't enough for McLaren to aim for a spot in the top ten.

"I had a decent race, I overtook Ericsson and Fernando at the end, so it was a positive afternoon for me. But we didn’t get any points for the team, which is unfortunate," said Vandoorne.

"There’s nothing particularly wrong with the balance of our car, it’s just that our pace is not strong enough."

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McLaren may well be facing another challenging weekend, as the medium-downforce Red Bull Ring likely won't prove to be favourable terrain for its MCL33.

The venue however does get the thumbs up from Vandoorne who describes his favourite spots around the fast-sweeping circuit.

"I really enjoy the track," said the 26-year-old in the Woking-based outfit's race preview

"I think Turn Three is a good corner for racing – you can out-brake another car here; and the addition of a third DRS zone along the straight between Turns One and Two should add a new element to the race. Hopefully, it will add to the spectacle.

"I also really enjoy the last corner. You come into before you’ve really finished with the previous corner, and the car is loaded and you’re already committed."

Last year in Austria, Vandoorne qualified hot on the heels of his team Fernando Alonso, and crossed the checkered flag in twelfth position.

"It’s a place where you always think you can bite off more than you can chew – and sometimes you can, sometimes you can’t! I think that’s a good lesson for other circuits to take onboard," he added.

"It’s a great track and a great weekend. For McLaren, we’ll be looking for more steady progress and an improvement over some of our recent races."

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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.