Pastor maldonado is swapping williams for lotus in 2014. The former williams and lotus drivers seats were backed strongly october 20, 2016 with 0 comments. Pastor rafael maldonado motta is a venezuelan professional racing driver, who competed in formula one for the williams 201120 and lotus 20142015. Pastor maldonado has retired in eight of the races so far this season bbc chief f1 writer andrew benson on maldonado. Pastor rafael maldonado motta spanish pronunciation. Now 33, the former williams and lotus driver last raced in 2015, may 7, 2018 with 0 comments. Pastor maldonado will join romain grosjean at lotus in 2014. Pastor maldonado is to stay at lotus for 2016, the team have confirmed, but it seems likely romain grosjean will join haas. Maldonado was initially a racer criticised for crashing, but the venezuelan has calmed his driving style somewhat. In 2012 pastor maldonado became the first venezuelan f1 winner with a commanding performance for williams in spain. But despite that breakthrough maldonado remains one of the sports most intriguing and erratic characters, splitting opinion arguably more than any other driver. The problem with that is the longer a driver is out of f1, the. In 1999, aged 14, he moved to europe to further his racing career. Formula one world championship pastor maldonado ven lotus f1 e23 leads team mate alexander rossi usa manor marussia f1 team.
Pastor maldonados imminent decision about the 2014 offer that he has from lotus will be the trigger point for the formula 1 driver market to fall into place. Pastor maldonado, whose maiden season at lotus has been beset by problems, suffered another setback at suzuka on friday when he became the second driver to pick up a tenplace grid penalty for the. Pastor maldonado claims his crashtor nickname is unlucky and praises his big balls in formula one venezuelan lotus f1 driver has become a cult figure within the sport for his series of. Sir stirling moss rip sir stirling moss was a great briton, who led such an extraordinary life and achieved so much. Lotus f1 driver pastor maldonado refuses to give up friday seat time to test driver. Pastor maldonado has revealed that he has left the lotus team ahead. Maldonado may lose f1 seat because pay drivers must. Renault, who have taken over the lotus team after protracted talks last year, will announce their driver lineup in a relaunch jamboree in paris next. Most bizarre pastor maldonado crashes in formula one. Feb 22, 2015 the last 12 months have been quite the rollercoaster for lotus f1 team. Lotus confirm pastor maldonado and romain grosjean as drivers. Maldonado gets evora s company car lotus drivers guide.
Pastor rafael maldonado motta born 9 march 1985 in maracay, venezuela is a formula one driver who formerly drove for lotus alongside romain grosjean. Lotus f1 was named after its branding partner group lotus. Lotus signs pastor maldonado to replace raikkonen autoblog. After spending two years at the front of the field with kimi raikkonen leading its charge, 2014 was a miserable campaign. Lotus confirm pastor maldonado and romain grosjean as drivers for 2014 formula one season pastor maldonado replaces ferraribound kimi raikkonen at. Browse through our highres professional motorsports photography. Pastor maldonado, whose maiden season at lotus has been beset by problems, suffered another setback at suzuka on friday when he became the. Pastor a veteran of 58 grand prix starts, including pole position and victory at the 2012 spanish grand prix has driven for williams f1. Lotus confirm pastor maldonado signing formula 1 news. The lotus f1 team was majority owned by genii capital. Also, the racer replaced a highlyrated young driver, nico hulkenberg, who didnt have.
Maldonado loses f1 drive, magnussen set to replace him. Lotuss pastor maldonado says he has no interest in employing a driver coach or advisor in a bid to improve his formula 1 form. Pastor maldonado will continue funding and crashing lotus. The bbc reports that renault nee lotus driver pastor maldonado may be out of a ride if sponsor. He became the first venezuelan to win a formula one grand prix when he won the 2012 spanish. Criticism now part of maldonados life august 12, 2015 12. Nov 29, 20 lotus confirm pastor maldonado and romain grosjean as drivers for 2014 formula one season pastor maldonado replaces ferraribound kimi raikkonen at lotus moving on. Maldonado driving for lotus at the 2015 malaysian grand prix. Dropping oil prices may have an unexpected effect on formula one fans favorite butt of jokes.
The helmet of pastor maldonado, lotus f1 team at 2014. Pastor is the first teammate to have been confirmed for 2016, as rumors that lotus other driver romain grosjean may join the new haas f1 team are still up in the air. Pastor maldonado claims his crashtor nickname is unlucky. The venezuelan has become renowned for making mistakes throughout. Lotus f1 maldonado drivers cap 2014 is black with a red and gold stripe running from front to back.
The team achieved a race victory and fourth position in the formula one constructors. Pastor maldonado says his chop from the renault sport f1 squad came as a bolt from the blue and is keen to find a new race seat to maintain his sharpness the former lotus and williams driver. Lotus driver pastor maldonado has come to accept that being heavily criticised is now a part of his life in formula 1. Here are the stories of every onetime winner in formula 1 from kubica to. Apr 18, 2015 pastor maldonado claims his crashtor nickname is unlucky and praises his big balls in formula one venezuelan lotus f1 driver has become a cult figure within the sport for his series of. Maldonado clearly has the speed to race in f1, but to be competitive over a 20race season, you must also be consistent. Lotus f1 drivers here is a complete list of drivers who raced for the lotus f1 team in its various guises. At the 2012 spanish grand prix, four weeks after the 70th birthday of team. Formula one f1 russian grand prix 2015 sochi autodrom, sochi, russia 91015 pastor maldonado of lotus during practice mandatory credit. Lotus confirm pastor maldonado and romain grosjean as. Despite a lengthy list of crashes and mistakes in 2014, maldonado has retained his place on the f1 grid with lotus and will be hoping for a brighter 2015. Formula 1 world championship, rd 17, mexican grand prix, mexixo city, mexico, race day. Apr 30, 2015 is pastor maldonado the worst f1 driver ever.
They were based in enstone, oxfordshire united kingdom. Pastor maldonado lotus decision set to unlock 2014 f1 driver. Pastors had a bit of an eventful start to his season and his car seems to have a target painted on it for other drivers, deputy team boss federico gastaldi. Lotuss pastor maldonado becomes second driver to pick up ten. Nov 29, 20 pastor maldonado confirmed for lotus f1 2014. The team competed under the lotus name from 2012 until 2015, following the renaming of the former renault team based at enstone in oxfordshire. Examining pastor maldonados f1 legacy of crashes, penalties. Lotus driver stays with team for 2016 lotus have extended pastor maldonados contract, keeping the venezuelan at the team for a third season. Tension is reportedly brewing between romain grosjean and his lotus teammate pastor maldonado. Swiss driver grosjean, now 28 years old, made his grand prix debut with the team in.
Lotus f1 team was a british formula one racing team. Jenson button called him mental during the singapore grand prix a view. Lotus f1 driver pastor maldonado refuses to give up friday. This list does not include drivers who raced lotus cars that were entered by teams other than lotus. Lotus f1 confirms grosjean, maldonado for 2015 autoblog. Maldonado claims he was very close to a ferrari f1 deal. April 30, 2015 april 30, 2015 ollie curzon ball games and exhaust pipes al pease, brabham, christian albers, felipe massa, formula one, giovanna amati, lotus, luca badoer, max verstappen, narain karthikeyan, nelson piquet jr. Lotus f1 team is pleased to announce that venezuelan driver pastor maldonado 28 will join the enstone squad alongside frenchman romain grosjean 27 for the 2014 formula 1 season. Your medication, delivered learn more have a question.
Maldonado replaces kimi raikkonen, who will drive for ferrari next season, and. Lotus f1 maldonado driver s cap 2014 is black with a red and gold stripe running from front to back. Before entering formula one, he won the 2010 gp2 series championship. The helmet of pastor maldonado, lotus f1 team at 2014 driver. Williams f1 team williamsrenault fw35 renault pastor maldonado valtteri bottas. May 7 former f1 driver pastor maldonado has played down any comparison between himself and max verstappen. Lotus f1 driver pastor maldonado not interested in driver. Lotuss pastor maldonado becomes second driver to pick up. Its no secret that i have wanted a change of scene to help push on with my.
The lotus driver, 29, said he found funny joke pictures on social networking sites with photographs of a crashed speedboat in monaco captioned. Earlier this week pastor maldonado announced that he wouldnt be on the grid at the start of 2016, with kevin magnussen taking his seat at the newly rebranded renault team. His one race victory in spain 2012, plus some serious backing, allowed him to leave williams behind not what youd call an amicable parting and move on to lotus f1 for the 2014 and 2015 seasons. But lotus chief executive matthew carter this week insisted no driver is immune from the need to perform in formula one, even though maldonado undoubtedly helps to balance the budget. F1 faces farewell to crashtor and prangster pastor maldonado. With all those crashes and penalties, maldonado has racked up 32 dnfs and. The team competed as lotus renault gp in 2011 before renaming themselves to lotus f1 team in 2012. Photo by xpb images on march 04th, 2014 at 2014 driver helmets. Pastor maldonado, 2014 lotus f1 team driver it is a fantastic opportunity for me to join lotus f1 team for 2014. Venezuelan racing driver pastor maldonado is pretty much a fan favourite, albeit for a different reason. Lotus f1 team was a british formula one team that raced from 2012 to 2015, following the renaming of the renault f1 team. The 30yearold brings with him significant sponsorship funds from the venezuelan state oil company pdvsa, which paid. Exwilliams and lotus driver pastor maldonado claims he was close to joining ferrari for the 2014 formula 1 season and that he was expecting the move to happen. He contested various formula renault championships, culminating in victory in the italian championship in 2004, with eight wins.
Pastor maldonado confirmed for lotus f1 2014 youtube. Whether the venezuelan returns to f1 racing in the future remains to be seen, but for now he remains part of an exclusive club of grand prix drivers those who hit the victory jackpot just once in their careers. Pastor maldonado arrived in f1 with williams in 2011, after winning the gp2 series the year before. They were purchased by renault in late 2015, and are now once again competing as renault sport f1 team in 2016. Pastor maldonado lotus decision set to unlock 2014 f1. The first formula one driver to win a race from venezuala, pastor maldonado is an aggressive and determined character who takes the headlines but not always for the right reasons. Unfortunately for pastor, his sponsors ran out of cash at the start of 2016. Pastor maldonado racing career profile driver database. Feb 07, 2016 maldonado clearly has the speed to race in f1, but to be competitive over a 20race season, you must also be consistent. The last 12 months have been quite the rollercoaster for lotus f1 team. Pastor maldonado signed for williams in 2011 after winning the gp2 championship the previous year maldonado started karting at the age of seven and soon began racing in national competitions. Pastor maldonado f1 driver biography f1 fanatic racefans. The first time with lotuss pastor maldonado formula 1. Lotus s pastor maldonado says he has no interest in employing a driver coach or advisor in a bid to improve his formula 1 form.
Nov 30, 20 lotus confirm pastor maldonado signing updated. The revolutionary lotus 72 was unveiled at hethel by colin chapman on monday 6th april 1970. Maldonado made his f1 debut at the 2011 australian grand prix driving for williams, becoming the first venezuelan driver in formula one since johnny cecotto in 1984 at the 2012 spanish grand prix, four weeks after the 70th birthday of team. From monday, march 9 until thursday, march 12, fox sports f1 expert adam cooper will break down the f1 grid, taking a look at each driver heading into the 2015 f1 season. Pastor maldonado to lotus f1 team the lotus forums. Pastor maldonado will continue funding and crashing lotus f1. Maldonado won the 2012 spanish grand prix for williams on only his 24th start in f1, but did not score another podium finish before leaving the championship after his fifth season. Maldonado made his f1 debut at the 2011 australian grand prix driving for williams, becoming the first venezuelan driver in formula one since johnny cecotto in 1984. Pastor maldonado s imminent decision about the 2014 offer that he has from lotus will be the trigger point for the formula 1 driver market to fall into place.
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