McLaren CEO Ron Dennis says the team's protégé and reigning GP2 champion Stoffel Vandoorne will be ready for F1 in 2017.
Vandoorne dominated last year's GP2 season on route to the title but was unable to secure a drive on the grid, with McLaren retaining Jenson Button alongside Fernando Alonso. At the end of this year several big-name drivers are out of contract, including Button, Nico Rosberg, Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas, setting up a potentially hectic driver market.
Dennis says McLaren is following a very considered path with Vandoorne, who will compete in Japan's Super Formula this season, and is eyeing up a spot for him on the next year's grid.
"His journey to Formula One has been mapped out very carefully, as is always the case with McLaren Young Driver Programme members, and we expect him to be ready in 2017," Dennis told F1.com. "He has always been intelligent, but to that intelligence he has recently added a level of wisdom unusual in one so young."
The lack of a customer team for Honda was one reason Vandoorne was unable to find a seat on this year's grid. A seat at McLaren would depend on Button leaving, with Alonso tied into the second of a three-year deal.
Dennis refused to comment on whether there would be a vacant seat at McLaren next year.
Speaking about Button, he said: "He and I will speak during the course of the year. But he is a world champion, and one of the very best drivers we have ever had. Any team would be delighted to have him on their driving strength. We most definitely are."