(McLaren Mercedes)
McLaren Mercedes young driver Stoffel Vandoorne has completed enough mileage to gain his mandatory FIA Super Licence which will allow him to participate in Grand Prix weekend's for the Woking based team following a day of running in the MP4-29 at the Barcelona Circuit de Catalunya on Wednesday.
The Belgian completed 136 lap's for the Woking based after taking over the driving duties from Jenson Button.
Vandoorne has been part of the McLaren Young Driver programme for many years and came up through the ranks at the McLaren Technology Centre with McLaren race driver Kevin Magnussen who secured his first Formula One podium at the Australian Grand Prix, the opening race of the 2014 Formula One World championship.
Speaking about his run for the team, the Belgian said:
'This has been a fantastic day for me: my first experience in a Formula 1 car, and a really great opportunity to get plenty of laps under my belt,'
'It's also great to have been able to contribute to the test programme: 136 laps was a fantastic achievement, and it's great that it's earned me the right to be granted a Formula 1 Superlicence.'
Vandoorne will now return to the GP2 championship with ART Grand Prix. The Belgian won race one of the GP2 championship at the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain in April. At the last race in Barcelona last weekend he finished race in 13th place while in the second race he finished the race in 10th place.
Vandoorne is currently in 6th place in the GP2 championship as the series heads to the next race in Monte Carlo next weekend.
©Ben Johnston 2014
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