04/06/2020
NEWS STORY
Mercedes has made its reserve drivers, Stoffel Vandoorne and Esteban Gutierrez, available to rivals Racing Point and McLaren.
The move follows the news that should race drivers become 'unavailable' due to the coronavirus once the season gets underway, teams will be allowed to use their reserve drivers.
Today's move by Mercedes gives Racing Point and McLaren access to Vandoorne and Gutierrez who have respectively contested 41 and 59 Grands Prix.
While Racing Point enjoys a close relationship with the German team - too close according to Red Bull - McLaren doesn't use Mercedes engines until next season. On the other hand, Vandoorne contested the 2017 and 2018 seasons with the Woking team.
Since being dropped by McLaren, Vandoorne has driven in Formula E with Venturi and Mercedes, while also finishing third in last year's Le Mans 24-hours, while Gutierrez drove three Formula E races with Techeetah and seven rounds of IndyCar with Dale Coyne Racing.