Pastor Maldonado retains his race seat with Williams, Rubens Barrichello still in limbo – Formula 1
Williams have announced that they have retained Pastor Maldonado for the 2012 season.
Maldonado did not have a good 2011 season; he was only able to score one point for his team. Despite his meagre performance, team principal Frank Williams praised the Venezuelan driver’s raw pace and mentioned that he was the only driver for Williams to qualify in the top ten this season.
Speculation rose over Maldonado’s bond with the Williams when he was not named in the FIA entry list.
“I am delighted to be able to continue with Williams into my second season and I will give my very best to help the team as we push to return to the front of the grid,” Maldonado said.
“This has been a tough season for the whole team but it has given me personally the opportunity to learn and develop. I am convinced that the steps we have taken to improve our competitiveness will bear fruit in 2012 and beyond. I am thrilled to be part of that and also to represent the people of Venezuela in Formula One,” he further added.
While Maldonado’s cloud over his stay with the team has been cleared, his teammate Rubens Barrichello is still very much under it. Barrichello has been very vocal about his desire to keep his career alive into the 2012 season. He even mentioned that he would look into sponsors to get him a seat if that is what would be required to keep his career alive. While his friend and fellow countryman Felipe Massa had publicly advised him to retire after the 2011 season, and make the final race of the 2011 season in front of his home crowd in Brazil.
Mark Webber was another driver who had advised Barrichello to use the Brazilian Grand Prix as an end to what he called an “amazing career.”
It still remains to be seen if Williams will extend Barrichello’s contract or not, while Williams has been open about looking into other drivers, Valtteri Bottas being one of them. Bottas tested for Williams at the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi. Although Bottas has been tipped to be as a potential partner for Maldonado, but Williams have hinted that are looking for experienced driver for their 2012 season.
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