McLaren reveals its 2017 squad of young chargers - adds Lando Norris

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McLaren-Honda have announced the young men who hope to follow Stoffel Vandoorne's path to Formula 1 in the coming years.

Lando Norris, the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award winner – and the champion of Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, Formula Renault 2.0 NEC and Toyota Racing Series last year – joins Nobuharu Matsushita and Nyck de Vries at McLaren-Honda's Young Driver Program.

To ensure the burgeoning young talent makes the most of its skills, McLaren will provide comprehensive guidance and support in every aspect of the young driver's craft.

The programme includes physical and cognitive plans, and data-driven training support as well as extensive work in the team's F1 simulator. The latter work will be conducted under the mentorship of McLaren test and development driver Oliver Turvey.

"I’m very excited by how fruitful the McLaren-Honda Young Driver Programme has been in bringing talented young drivers to the fore.

"It’s our mission to equip the members of the McLaren-Honda Young Driver Programme with all the tools necessary to break through – because ours is a highly competitive world in which the difference between success and failure is mapped out in tiny nuances."

Vandoorne prepping for 'a lot faster' McLaren

While Matsushita and de Vries are senior members of the program, 17-year-old Lando Norris is making his entry this year into the McLaren-Honda YDP.

"I regard Lando as a fabulous prospect," says McLaren executive Zak Brown.

"He blew the doors off his rivals in not one but three highly competitive race series last year, then capped that by establishing himself as the clear winner of the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award.

"It was an impressively mature performance, and we’ll be developing him this year as part of our simulator team, whereby he’ll be contributing directly and importantly to our Formula 1 campaign at the same time as honing and improving his technical feedback capabilities."

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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.