Pastor Maldonado

Courtesy of Planet F1 and Tranquility's post in the Belgian PQR thread here's a place to discuss the Williams' No.2

"Is Pastor Maldonado the scariest man in sport? His post-Spa interview was delivered with a stare that could put a weak-hearted man six foot under from a distance of ten yards and culminated in the remarkable, utterly-terrifying announcement that he regards Lewis Hamilton as "a really good friend."

Jeepers.

Just jeepers.

Fear and pray for his enemies."

Pastor started his racing career in Italy in the Formula Renault and F3000. He would have been Formula Renault 3.5 Champion if he hadn't been disqualified from a win at Misano in 2006. Moving on to GP2 Pastor raced for 4 seasons, eventually taking the title in 2010.

With not insubstantial financial backing from Venezuela's national petroleum company, PDVSA, he took Nico Hulkenberg's seat at Williams for 2011 winning his first point last weekend in Belgium.

On a personal level, he is a self proclaimed Socialist and a personal friend of controversial Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, which probably explains the backing from PDVSA.... Oh, and he's 26 and is still wearing braces on his teeth.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

To bo fair. Three of Maldo's penalties are for gearbox changes.

 

[teabagyokel]

Were all Hamilton's 2011 penalties for driving offenses?

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Yep. Four drive-throughs and 2 post race penalties.

 

[KekeTheKing]

This is what I have for 2011 Race Penalties

 

[ExtremeNinja]

You're quite right. Maldonado is a consistent offender.

 

[Brogan]

After the latest incident involving Maldonado today, Pérez didn't hold back and has urged the FIA to take action.

"Pastor is a driver who doesn't respect other drivers. It's just a matter of fact," Perez told the BBC. "I was already in front, and if not he should have given me enough space not to crash, but he tried to push me all the way to the outside. I don't understand the way he is driving.

"I really hope the stewards can make something because the last three or four races he has done something to [other drivers].

"It is not the first time he has damaged my weekend. He did the same [to Hamilton] in Valencia, and they gave him a drive-through, which I think is not enough. This guy will never learn if they don't do something, because he is a very dangerous driver and he can hurt someone."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/101062

 

[jez101]

I think I may be Pastor's only sympathiser on this forum. I'm not condoning Spa or Monaco or even Valencia but today I felt he was ahead going into the corner and had every right to claim it. Perez put himself at risk and was only ever going to get around the outside if Pastor had given way.

 

[Brogan]

Charlie Whiting apparently made a pronouncement before the race that if the overtaking driver had any part of the front wing level with the rear tyres then that driver had track position over the driver being overtaken.

Or words to that effect anyway.

 

[Jen]

If that is the case, then clearly Charlie has lost his marbles!

 

[ExtremeNinja]

I don't understand how they can make blanket conditions such as that. Surely each incident is different and car positioning for overtaking would vary at different parts of the circuit. I think that is totally daft from Charlie Whiting. Common sense should be enough to work out who is at fault in these incidents. Well, common sense and driving experience. Unless one can place themselves in the cockpit of both cars, one is in no position to judge.

This is motor racing and not an insurance claim for Sheila's Wheels.

 

[Jen]

Good God, Ninja and I agree on something - except he won't know that, of course!!

But I do object to the female only insurance company reference

 

[Josh]

jez101 No, I agree, I think today was 100% a racing incident, they were both on cold tyres and Pastor clearly lost the car, it wasn't by much but it was enough to hit Pèrez.

 

[Fenderman]

Maldonado went into the corner too hot which is why his car lost traction and slid into Perez. He had lost the corner to Perez on entry and either didn't have the feel for the car or the nous to ease off, or both. One can call it a racing incident as it was matter of misjudgement on his part. His problem seems to be that he is not steppng back to understand for himself that he is doing something wrong. This time he says it was cold tyres ... but ... hang on, knowing this should he not have accomodated that knowledge in how hard he tried to resist Perez?

 

[tooncheese]

This is what I have for 2011 Race Penalties

View attachment 4385

I'm not surprised that the top three are GP2 graduates, that series needs to sort out these aggressive young drivers before they get into Formula 1.

 

[GeoffP]

Today was a racing incident, so cannot be penalised within the standard rules of an F1 event.

Pastor was right, in the real world, he had the line, and so the corner's advantage.

Problem is, he went off the racing line as he was concentrating more on the other driver than controlling his own car. This is the problem with Maldonado, he cannot stay focused. He should not get a penalty, but he should get an invite to discuss his race craft with the stewards.

 

[F1ang-o]

The problem with Maldanado is....instinct...his subconscious always thinks he...is in the right, it takes two to tango...& he is not participating.....IMO he thinks he just has the right to mowdown/take a swipe at whoever gets in his way...& The FIA /stewards ought to show him...just who has the hands on the reins...before he does some serious damage.

 

[Galahad]

I'm not surprised that the top three are GP2 graduates, that series needs to sort out these aggressive young drivers before they get into Formula 1.

Indeed, and GP3 as well, but the stewards are the same as the F1 ones. In one series they are criticised for excessive leniency, in the other, for excessive stringency. I'm increasingly of the view they should take a tougher line across the board.

 

[Brogan]

Video here of Pérez's comments regarding Maldonado: http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12433/7882632/

 

[Johnny Carwash]

It's time for Maldonado too shape up if he is going to cut it in F1. The only thing he has got going for him at the moment is the large stash of money that he brings to Williams

 

[Brogan]

He has been reprimanded after his collision with Pérez at Silverstone.

One more reprimand and he gets a 10 place grid drop penalty due to the three strike rule.