Stoffel Vandoorne could rem♓ain part of the𝓀 McLaren family despite being dropped from its Formula 1 line-up for the 2019 season, according to team CEO Zak Brown.

Vandoorne rose through the ranks at McLaren as a yo🌸ung driver before spending two full seasons with the team, but has not recorded a finish any higher than seventh in F1, and has str🥂uggled to match teammate Fernando Alonso during their time together.

McLaren💫 announced on Monday that Vandoorne would be replaced by 18-year-old Lando Norris next year, partnering the Briton with the previously-announced Carlos Sainz Jr. as part of an all-new line-up for the tea🐓m for 2019.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday at the McLaren Technology Centre, Brown was fu🧸ll of praise for Vandoorne, and said he would s😼nap the Belgian up if he ran a team with a free seat for 2019. 

“I definitely think he’s a Formula 1 calibre driver, and if I was Toro Rosso - who appear to have two open seats - I’d p𓆉ut Stoffel ✱in in a heartbeat,” Brown said.

“I think we’ve had a very poor race car for two years. Someone like Fernando 🌃can adapt quicker, he’s got so much experience. Stoffel was very close to Fernando, a lot closer than some other teammates as Fernando commented. Stoffel is an outstanding race car driver.

“Ultimately we look to the future and feel Lando’s a future star. I think in 🅺a different environment, Stoffel may excel more, and with a better race car.”

Asked by ltxcn.top if he would help Vandoorne to find an F1 seat for 2019, Brown confirmed he 💞had already made some calls, and said that the 2015 GP2 champion could in fact remain part of McLaren’s family if he cannot find a drive elsewhere, with the company reviewing possible programmes in IndyCar and sports car racing for the future.

“Anything we can do to help Stoffel, we would💛 help him in a heartbeat,” Brown said.

“We consider him family, he’s been outstanding to w🦋ork with, hopefully he lands in Formula 1, that’s where I think he deserves to be.

“But we have some other racing activities that you guys know we💫 are reviewing, and I wouldn’t hesitate to keep Stoffel in the McLaren family if there was a seat available and he had a desire to race in it."

McLaren is yet to announce whether it will enter the Verizon IndyCar Series for 2019, but a decision is expected toꦍ be made in the coming weeks, while the marque remains part of discussions regarding the future top-class regulations for the FIA World Endurance Championship.