Renault admits Vandoorne interest: "He needs a new environment"

Renault team principal Cyril Abiteboul thinks that McLaren's Stoffel Vandoorne needs a change of scenery, as the Belgian is in the shadow of his teammate Fernando Alonso right now.

That new environment could be Renault, as the French teams' principal confirmed that they're definitely keeping an eye on him.

"It's very hard for a driver to perform next to a two-time champion like Fernando Alonso," Abiteboul explained to La Dernière Heure.

"I think that Stoffel needs a new environment so his talent can lay bare, because he won everything before coming to the F1.

"We're definitely keeping tabs on him and he's on our list."

Carlos Sainz is rumoured to leave Renault, as he's on loan from Red Bull. Daniel Ricciardo could be leaving the Bulls, which would leave a vacant spot there for Sainz to fill. The empty Renault-seat could then be manned by Vandoorne.

The Belgian is hailed as a big talent but is the only driver on the grid who hasn't out-qualified his teammate yet, which both speaks to Alonso's brilliance and Vandoorne's lack of confidence.