Pastor Maldonado and the worst drivers in F1 history | GiveMeSport Pastor Maldonado and the worst drivers in F1 history Published 24/7 Following another eventful race weekend at the Bahrain Grand Prix last weekend, Pastor Maldonado has faced heavy criticism from the racing world. Not only did the Venezuelan have a disastrous qualifying session on Saturday in which he was knocked out of Q1, Maldonado had another fruitless race in which he collided with both rookie Max Verstappen's Toro Rosso, and the Williams of Felipe Massa. Bizarrely in Bahrain, the Lotus man was also found to be out of position on the grid starting in 18th, two places behind his allocated grid slot. Article continues below 2015 has seen Maldonado fail to finish three of the first four races and although he managed to complete the sundown race in Bahrain in 15th, the one-time Grand Prix winner's lack of points is largely down to collisions with other cars. In Australia, Maldonado crashed out of the race on the second corner of the first lap.

A week later in Kuala Lumpur suffered a puncture after a collision with Valtteri Bottas also in the opening exchanges, and in China he went off in the entrance to the pit lane, followed by another spin and a collision with McLaren's Jenson Button on Lap 49. Article continues below The question remains then, is Maldonado a bad driver? Maldonado's Record When it comes to controversy, Maldonado is certainly no stranger to the spotlight. Over the course of the last three seasons, he has consistently claimed the unappealing crown of the most reprimanded driver on the grid and never finished above 15th in the Drivers' Championship. In 2012, he racked up a full five penalty points ahead of anyone else, failing to complete five of the twenty races with two DNF's classified as over the 90% race distance. In this season he sparked heated post-race interviews from Sergio Perez following the Monaco and British Grand Prix's, calling for tougher action on Maldonado for his mistakes.

Maldonado also had an intense ongoing battle with Lewis Hamilton where in Valencia he crashed into the Brit after a close quarter dual which resulted in a penalty for the then Williams driver. In 2013, he failed to finish three races but was involved in five racing incidents from speeding to causing collisions across the course the season. Last year was perhaps the Venezuelan's worst in Formula One. As well as crashing into the pit wall on one bizarre occasion, he crashed out in practice and qualifying on numerous outings. In Hungary, Maldonado span heading to the grid. At Silverstone and Bahrain he collided with Sauber driver Esteban Gutierrez, the latter of which causing the Mexican to roll his car spectacularly. He failed to complete five races, with one where he did not start, and one where he was classified but failed to cross the line. Some of Maldonado's retirements have been due to technical issues, but many have been due to collisions on track and bizarre incidents which seem to be a characteristic of his driving these days.

Despite this, in 2012 he won the Spanish Grand Prix becoming the first Venezuelan to achieve the feat in F1, and in 2011 despite not finishing seven of the nineteen races, his incident record was relatively average. In 2010, he also won the coveted GP2 trophy ahead of fellow Formula One racers Sergio Perez, Marcus Ericsson, Romain Grosjean and Suzuki victim Jules Bianchi. Worst Driver Ever? Maldonado's CV is less than flattering and his record speaks for itself. Despite evidence of the 30-year Old's undoubted pace and financial backing from his home land, there are major questions about his competence in close wheel-to-wheel action. He is not the first driver to suffer heavy criticism for his eventful races however, so to label Maldonado one of the worst in history is perhaps a little premature. Japanese drivers Taki Inoue and Yuji Ide are two names the average Formula One fan could easily forget. Famous for exactly that; largely forgettable racing careers. Inoue only had one full season in the sport, of the 18 races he competed in, Inoue failed to complete a whopping 13 of them.

Likewise, fellow countryman Yuji Ide was only seen for one season back in 2006. Racing for minnow team Super Aguri, Ide only started the first four races of the season before being replaced after an incident with Christian Albers at the San Marino Grand Prix. Ide only finished one of four races. Giovanna Amati, the last female Formula One driver to compete in the series, is another contender for the undesirable accolade. She competed in three race weekends in 1992 for Brabham but failed to qualify for a single race. At South Africa, she spun six times in practice and qualified nine seconds slower than pole sitter Nigel Mansell. In Mexico she was more than ten seconds slower than Mansell, and in Brazil, despite showing a slight improvement she also failed to qualify and was replaced by Damon Hill. Canadian ‘Al’ Pease also only participated in three Grand Prix’s between the period of 1967-1969, all at his home Grand Prix.

Despite being a highly successful racing driver in Canada’s history, Pease was not classified in 1967 for finishing 43 laps behind the lead car, did not start in 1968 and was disqualified from the race in 1969 for actually driving too slowly. More recently, Italian Luca Badoer holds the unfortunate record of being the driver to complete the most races without a single World Championship point to his name. Despite proving himself as a competent driver as had he competed in the modern era’s point system he would have held 26 points, Badoer failed to complete 33 of his 58 Grand Prix weekends in his career. On his return to Formula One in place of the injured Brazilian Felipe Massa during the 2009 season, Badoer raced for Ferrari. He competed twice although was someway off the pace of the rest of the field, most notably two seconds slower than team-mate Kimi Raikkonen. After ten years out however, it is notable that many of the other drivers defended Badoer’s performance. American Scott Speed also suffered a largely forgettable Formula One career along with Indian driver Narain Karthikeyan.

Speed had two seasons in the sport and Karthikeyan had three in two stints. Both are only remembered by the purist with Karthikeyan’s only notable achievement being a fourth place finish at the ‘Tyregate’ US Grand Prix in 2005. Brazilian driver Nelson Piquet Jr. is remembered for ‘that’ crash at the Singapore Grand Prix in 2008. During the same season, Piquet Jr. finished 12th in the Drivers’ Championship and had some respectable points scoring races, most notably second in Germany. However, he failed to complete 50% of the 18 races in the season. In 2009 he was dropped midway through the season by Renault once again despite not particularly bad performances, but during the FIA Investigation into the ‘Crashgate’ scandal Renault team Principal Flavio Briatore perhaps wanted rid of him for other reasons. All in all then, Pastor Maldonado is certainly not the worst driver to compete in Formula One. His record isn’t the most flattering but his lengthy stay in the sport and a race victory to his name are testament to his recognisable racing abilities.

However, the Venezuelan’s consistent talent to be drawn into controversy make him vulnerable to questions, and as long as that continues question marks will remain over his capacity to compete at the highest level in Motorsport. Do YOU want to write for GiveMeSport? Get started today by signing-up and submitting an article HERE: Topics: Formula 1: Kevin Magnussen in for Pastor Maldonado at Renault - BBC Sport BBC Sport Formula 1: Kevin Magnussen in for Pastor Maldonado at Renault By Andrew Benson From the section Formula 1 Share this page Read more about sharing. Kevin Magnussen finished second in his first Grand Prix drive at Australia in 2014 Former McLaren driver Kevin Magnussen is to replace Pastor Maldonado at Renault for the 2016 Formula 1 season. Dane Magnussen will partner Britain's Jolyon Palmer after the sponsors of Venezuelan Maldonado, 30, failed to make contracted payments to the team. Magnussen, 23, finished 11th in the drivers' championship with McLaren in 2014 before making way for the return of Fernando Alonso last season. He operated as test and reserve driver for 2015 before being released.

Magnussen said his F1 career would have been over had he not been picked by Renault. "This was make or break," he said. "Luckily, I made it. "This is a massive opportunity because not many drivers get a second chance. I've been given a second chance and a very good chance with a top team. I can't tell you how happy I am." Maldonado said he felt "proud" of his record in F1 after spending three years with Williams and two with Lotus, the forerunner of Renault. He won one race, the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix for Williams, but became more widely known for his involvement in numerous accidents and incidents. Pastor Maldonado finished 14th in the 2015 F1 standings with 27 points He drove for Lotus thanks to the financial backing of Venezuela's national oil company, PDVSA. It was contracted to pay $46m (£33.6m) for 2016, but the Venezuelan economy is facing major difficulties as a result of plunging oil prices. The money did not arrive and Renault decided to terminate his contract.

Maldonado revealed he was leaving in a statement but did not give a reason for his departure, nor identify his replacement. Renault have refused to comment on the move, saying it would confirm its plans for the season at an event in Paris on Wednesday. The company will also reveal its 2016 car, its official team name and confirm Frenchman Frederic Vasseur as head of the F1 team. Vasseur has been the boss of the successful ART GP2 team, Cyril Abiteboul, a former team boss of Caterham, remains in his more senior position as managing director of Renault Sport. Share this page Pastor Maldonado | Formula One Drivers | All Time | F1PULSE.com MILESTONES PROFILE Pastor Maldonado is an uncut diamond, which needs copious amounts of polishing to unleash his capacity as a Formula One driver. Tagged as a pay driver, with support from Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Maldonado made his point after his gave Williams its first race win in eight years in 2012, beating the likes of Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen at the Spanish Grand Prix.

But that achievement slid down as quickly as it had risen, with the Venezuelan becoming the driver who was penalised the most in that season. Maldonado made his F1 debut when he joined Williams for the 2011 season before his hefty backing allowed him to switch to Lotus. A champion in GP2, Maldonado has had his share of incidents on his way to the top, and those moments have been hard for him to shed off. He is yet to calm down as his aggressive driving style often sees him either banging into fellow competitors or the barriers. His feisty temperament hasn't earned him many fans either as proven when he accused his own team, Williams, of sabotaging his car after qualifying for the United States GP in 2013. But if there's one reason for Maldonado to continue in F1, then that's hope; hope that he will continue to shine as he did on the 66 laps of the Catalunya circuit during his maiden victory.

MILESTONE Pastor Maldonado: The racer Hugo Chavez banked oil money on - CNN.com Pastor Maldonado: The racer Hugo Chavez banked oil money on By Sarah Holt, CNN Updated 0902 GMT (1702 HKT) October 2, 2013 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Photos: Formula One: Pastor Maldonado career and country Presidential approval – Pastor Maldonado (right) was encouraged into Formula One by the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, who took a personal interest in motorsport. Hide Caption 1 of 5 Photos: Formula One: Pastor Maldonado career and country Greasing the wheels – Venezuela is right behind Pastor Maldonado -- especially because the Latin American country's state oil company PDVSA funds his drive for the Williams F1 team. Hide Caption 2 of 5 Photos: Formula One: Pastor Maldonado career and country Barcelona breakthrough – Maldonado says interest and expectation grew in Venezuela after he stormed to victory in the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix for Williams.

It was the team's first win since 2004 and the first ever victory in F1 for a Venezuelan racer. Hide Caption 3 of 5 Photos: Formula One: Pastor Maldonado career and country The Russian is coming – Teenager Sergey Sirotkin is expected to be bankrolled by Russian money into an F1 drive with Sauber in 2014. Countries directly backing drivers and teams is a developing trend in motorsport. Hide Caption 4 of 5 Photos: Formula One: Pastor Maldonado career and country Foundation for the future – Maldonado is already investing in the future of Venezuelan motorsport by working with his foundation to find the next generation of racers. Hide Caption Formula One is attracting state funding form nations such as Venezuela and Russia Pastor Maldonado says being sponsored by Venezuelan money is "a huge responsibility" The Williams driver was personally encouraged into F1 by late president Hugo Chavez Maldonado has set up a foundation to fund next Venezuelan F1 driver It's not only global tycoons and car manufacturers that are greasing the wheels of Formula One -- countries are doing it too.

Traditionally governments have invested in F1 by stumping up cash to stage races but now they are cutting deals with drivers and teams. The Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA funds Pastor Maldonado's drive for Williams. This summer Sauber announced a partnership deal involving three backers with close links to the Russian state that will see the Swiss team fast track teenager Sergey Sirotkin into a race seat in time for the inaugural Russian Grand Prix in 2014. Read: Sauber's first lady of F1 "It's a huge responsibility that I have," Maldonado, who had the personal approval of late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, told CNN. "I have a complete country pushing in my back so every day we do not do very well, I have some pressure." But why do countries want to invest in the fickle world of F1 in the first place, where there is no tangible return on their investment? JUST WATCHED MUST WATCH India's F1 story 02:44 McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh explained to CNN: "Last year Formula 1 was watched by over half a billion people. "There are only two world sports -- football and F1.

It's natural that as F1 expands the calendar and goes into new markets [people] want to be involved and invest in the sport." Global markets Christian Sylt, co author of Formula Money , an annual report examining all aspects of the sport's finances, believes countries now have a role to play in filling the gap left by F1's traditional investors. "The departure of the car manufacturers left a big hole in the budgets of many teams," said Sylt. "In 2008 and 2009, F1 lost Honda, BMW and Toyota while Renault also slashed its spending. This meant that, according to Formula Money's data, team owner spending plummeted from $1.6 billion in 2008 to $611 million in 2010, despite the addition of two new teams. "In turn, teams have had to look for new sources of funding to maintain their budgets." F1's peripatetic players visit five continents and 19 countries in 2013 -- and in 2014 there are additional races scheduled in Russia, Austria, the United States and Mexico.

Part of the sport's appeal is that it immediately gives its backers structured access to nearly 20 global markets. "If a government thinks that it can increase trade and tourism by presenting an image of itself as a technologically savvy, glamorous destination and a center of sporting excellence, then F1 is a good way to achieve this," Sylt continued. "F1's values of technology and glamor are often something that developing countries want to align themselves with. "It's not so common in F1 at the moment, but this is already a big source of funding in its feeder series GP2. JUST WATCHED Simulating the F1 experience 02:34 Huge responsibility "In the last couple of years logos for countries including Venezuela, Monaco, Romania, Angola, Russia and Colombia have all appeared on the cars and Venezuela even title sponsors the Lazarus team. "As these drivers move into F1, they will bring their sponsors with them and we'll see more and more countries getting involved as F1 sponsors." Sponsoring a driver or team is also a powerful marketing tool. As well as the traditional logos prominently painted on the car's livery, Venezuela now gets a mention every time Maldonado is strapped into a car.

But how do the drivers cope with these unique patriotic pressures of essentially being an ambassador in a racesuit? "I have more than many responsibilities," Maldonado explained with a half smile. "I am the only one in Venezuela who has Formula 1 on his back. It's quite hard for me to keep everyone happy." Like most F1 racers, the 28-year-old Williams driver progressed from karting through the junior ranks before winning the GP2 title in 2010. But there is no doubt that the final step into an F1 race seat was sweetened by sponsorship from PDVSA to the tune of a reported $45m a year. "PDVSA and the sponsors I had in the past, and that I still have, believe in my talent," said Maldonado, who is still aware that he has to sing for his supper. "I was the first racing driver who was racing with the colors of PDVSA, the main oil company of the country.

"In Venezuela we don't like to lose, we always approach to win." Maldonado was not the first F1 pilot from Venezuela -- that honor went to Italian born Ettore Chimeri in 1959 -- but he became the first Venezuelan to win a grand prix in Spain during the 2012 season. "You know, F1 after my victory last year became a very popular sport," Maldonado explained. "We have two live TV channels so it's getting bigger and bigger -- which is why I have even more responsibility." Presidential problem solver This season has raised Maldonado's stress levels even further. The Williams car has lagged behind its midfield rivals and Maldonado finally won the team's first point of the season in Hungary -- the 10th race of the year. The portents on the eve of the season had not been good. The team held a celebratory preseason lunch on 5 March but later that evening Venezuelan President Chavez died following a long battle with cancer.

JUST WATCHED MUST WATCH Hugo Chavez's legacy 04:12 The death of Chavez, a self-styled" 21st Century socialist," left Venezuela in a state of flux and it arguably deprived Maldonado of his biggest supporter. When asked how much the late president had personally helped his career, Maldonado answered: "A lot. "It was not only my career it was the career of many racing drivers, Rodolfo Gonzalez (GP2), E.J. Viso, who is in IndyCar; many, many racing drivers." Maldonado twice appeared on Chavez's chat show Alo Presidente but said he did not speak to the late president on a regular basis, though he added: "He was very close to the drivers." There have been divisive opinions on Chavez's legacy. Commentators say he did a lot of work to lift people out of poverty in Venezuela but that his autocratic style of governance damaged the nation's democracy and left the country with daunting economic challenges. But Maldonado says the charismatic Chavez, the man who helped shape his career, is greatly missed. "We miss him," said Maldonado who grew up in the city of Maracay.

"Everyone misses people like that who were important for the country, the position he took, what he did for the poor. "He connected with the people and at the same time he was listening to the problems they had, analyzing everything with his team, his ministers and directors, they were trying to solve all of the problems of the people." Being backed by the state has intrinsically linked Maldonado to Venezuela in so many ways. He is indebted to PDVSA for his position in F1 and in turn he feels he is an ambassador for Venezuela, his compatriots and the legacy of President Chavez. When countries decide to directly invest in F1's drivers, the responsibility lies heavily on the racer's shoulders. Does Maldonado expect Sirotkin, the driver Russian investors plan to push into a Sauber seat, to feel the same kind of pressure? "It depends," Maldonado explains. "I don't know very well the Russian guys. I know the Venezuelan guys - for sure there is a lot of pressure!" Slums of Venezuela PDVSA's sponsorship deal with Williams is due to expire in 2015.

It is understood that the terms of the agreement stipulate a Venezuelan driver must race for the former world champion constructors, and not necessarily Maldonado. CNN contacted PDVSA but they declined to comment. Even if Maldonado finds himself without an F1 drive in the future he is already determined to pay back part of his debt he believes he owes to his country through the Pastor Maldonado Foundation, a charitable organization that he set up in 2005. "We want to find a new driver from the very poor slums of Venezuela and give him the opportunity to become a race driver in the future in F1," Maldonado, who was encouraged into motorsport by his father and uncle, explained. "We are focused on finding someone who is not even close to motor racing. At the moment we are staging a small go kart championship and then we will select two or three racers and then put them in Europe with good teams, all paid for by the foundation. "We also help some with education, some who have lost their homes in tragedies and other sports.

"But now we are planning to find the second or third Venezuelan driver for a Formula 1 drive." Maldonado is using his foundation to repay what Venezuela has given to him -- and, even better, he hopes it will also find a successor to drive forward the expectations of a nation. Pastor Maldonado | The Formula 1 Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia 2012 Spanish Grand Prix Pastor Rafael Maldonado Motta (born 9 March 1985 in Maracay, Venezuela) is a Formula One driver who formerly drove for Lotus alongside Romain Grosjean . 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 boss, Sir Frank Williams , Maldonado secured a surprising victory from pole position. The win was Maldonado's first ever, and Williams' first win since the 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix .

After a disappointing 2013 season in which the Venezuelan scored only a single point, he joined Romain Grosjean at Lotus for 2014 , with his supposed permanent car number being #3, but later switched to #13, breaking Formula One tradition, and was only the third ever Formula One driver to use number 13, after Moises Solana in 1963 and Divina Galica in 1976 . He became the first Formula One driver to score with the number at the 2014 United States Grand Prix . Contents Edit ﻿In December 2010, it was announced that Maldonado would drive for the Williams team in 2011 alongside Rubens Barrichello , replacing Nico Hülkenberg , who was moving to Force India as a test driver. Whilst Maldonado was making his debut, Barrichello was the most experienced driver and in his 19th season of Formula One. In his first race at Australia, Maldonado was the first retirement all year because of transmission problems. He also retired in Malaysia when an engine failure ended his race.

China saw his first classified finish, 18th in the race. In Turkey , Maldonado finished 17th. He finished in a much better position in Spain , in 15th. In Monaco , Maldonado was running in sixth place with five laps remaining, and on course for his first points, when Lewis Hamilton took him out of the race at the Sainte Dévote corner. Maldonado was still classified 18th in the standings, and teammate Barrichello finished 9th, giving the Williams team their first points of the season, however a potential double-points finish for the Wantage-based team was prevented. This marked the start of a rivalry between Hamilton and Maldonado. In Canada , Maldonado spun out of the race, forcing him to retire. At Valencia , Maldonado still failed to score, finishing 18th, as his streak of bad results continued. Maldonado scored the first point of his career in the Belgian GP , finishing tenth. However, this proved to be the only point in his debut season. This section is incomplete. You can improve it by expanding it .

2012 Edit Maldonado's 2012 season looked very promising following strong races in Melbourne and Sepang . In Australia, he had been running in the points following a good showing in qualifying, placing him 8th on the grid. However, after good battles over the lesser points places, Maldonado lost control and crashed on the final lap while fighting for 5th. In Malaysia, Pastor's pace was good again in treacherous conditions. Having qualifying 11th, Maldonado found himself in contention for a place in the top ten. Unfortunately, his luck failed him again, and he was forced to retire on the penultimate lap with engine failure. He had been running 10th. Maldonado's luck changed for the better in China, where another good showing saw him bring home his first points finish of the season. He finished 8th, scoring 4 World Championship points. Bahrain was an unfortunate race during which Maldonado faced a grid penalty, setting him back to 21st on the grid.

Following a good start at which he gained 5 places, Maldonado found himself battling the likes of Sergio Pérez and Paul di Resta for the midfield places. Never reached a top ten place before retiring on the 25th lap due to a puncture. Williams then went to Spain celebrating the 70th birthday of team boss Sir Frank Williams . They also brought a lot of unexpected performance to the event, looking very strong in practice. In qualifying, team-mate Senna struggled and failed to make it past Q1. Maldonado, on the other hand was outstanding, setting the fastest time in Q2, and being beaten only by Lewis Hamilton in Q3. Maldonado was delighted at second place in qualifying, and his happiness was amplified a few hours later when Lewis Hamilton was disqualified from qualifying as he had stopped on track on his in-lap, [1] promoting Maldonado to his first ever F1 Pole position. In the race, Maldonado put on an impressive display, fighting off Fernando Alonso for most of the race, to claim his maiden race victory, Williams' first in more than 7 years.

2013 Edit In 2013, Maldonado was beaten by his new team-mate Valtteri Bottas in the standings. While he finished 10th in Hungary and scored his sole point of the year. Bottas went two better and finished 8th in the United States, scoring four points, his maiden in F1. As neither would score again, Bottas was the better of the Williamses. Maldonado would leave the team at the end of the year to join Lotus. 2014 Edit Maldonado stunned the F1 paddock by announcing that his permanent number for 2014 and beyond would be 13, a number regularly avoided in FIA-sanctioned series. This made him the first Formula One driver in 38 years to use the number and the third overall. His season got off to a woeful start in Australia when his ERS failed, preventing him from finishing the race. His Lotus team-mate Romain Grosjean followed suit 14 laps later. Maldonado would also retire in Malaysia.

Then, he became the first driver to finish a Grand Prix with the number 13 when he finished 14th in Bahrain, despite an accident with Esteban Gutiérrez in which the Mexican's car was rolled over which earned Maldonado a 5-place grid penalty for the next race. Formula One Statistical Overview Reflection: Maldonado's day in the sun - GPUpdate.net Reflection: Maldonado's day in the sun 2 February 2016 – Pastor Maldonado confirmed on Monday that he will not participate in Formula 1 this year. GPUpdate.net reflects on the Spanish Grand Prix back in 2012, in which he tasted a remarkable victory. Pastor Maldonado was often criticised for his erratic driving style throughout his Formula 1 career but he will always carry the label of Grand Prix winner courtesy of his standout performance in Barcelona four years ago. Following the trials of a troublesome 2011 campaign, Williams' FW34 was a competent machine, sufficient enough for the outfit to return to Formula 1's midfield.

Maldonado was on course for points in Australia until a last-lap accident and had secured eighth place in China; it was nothing to acclaim, but it was a welcome result after a difficult maiden Formula 1 campaign. Yet there was nothing to suggest that the Spanish Grand Prix would go down in folklore. Formula 1 was encountering an unpredictable season, with four different drivers having triumphed across the opening four events. Friday's running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya indicated nothing special, though Maldonado was satisfied with the work undertaken in understanding the tyres. Second place during Saturday morning's practice session, behind Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, hinted that something special was in the offing. Maldonado carried his strong form into qualifying as while team-mate Bruno Senna struggled, the Venezuelan romped to the top of the times in Q2 and grabbed second on the grid behind Lewis Hamilton. In the immediate aftermath the consensus was that Hamilton and McLaren were back on form and ready to launch into title contention with a straightforward victory, until his MP4-27 stopped on track as he attempted to return to parc ferme.

Hamilton's car crawled to a halt and, after several hours of waiting, it was deemed not to contain the sufficient fuel sample, and he was consequently excluded from the results of qualifying, promoting Maldonado to pole position, ahead of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, who himself had been performing heroics with the recalcitrant F2012. The partisan home fans expected a valiant performance from Alonso on race day and he duly rewarded their cheers with an electric start to claim an advantage which few expected he would relinquish. However, Maldonado remained within a second or two across the opening stints of the three-stop race and, when he made his second stop on Lap 24, he was only 1.5 seconds behind Alonso. Williams had used the undercut to try and gain an advantage with the tyres and the strategy worked when Alonso, who had been delayed while lapping Marussia's Charles Pic at Turn 1, made his stop two laps later. Maldonado emerged with a lead of seven seconds but Alonso began to cut the gap and it was under five when Maldonado made his third and final stop.

Alonso also stopped for the last time a couple of laps later and both had to negotiate the two-stopping Kimi Räikkönen and, once cleared, Alonso was within DRS range of his rival. The gap between Lap 49 and 58 did not grow to more than 1.3 seconds as Maldonado soaked up sustained pressure and never put a foot wrong, denying Alonso even the slightest opportunity. Alonso drifted backwards over the final few laps and Maldonado was clear to cross the line three seconds ahead, with a fast-charging Räikkönen on the Ferrari's tail. Maldonado had collected victory despite his inexperience as he became the first Venezuelan victor in the sport's history, ending Williams' eight-year quest for a win. Maldonado received a telephone call from Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez in the aftermath and was quick to express his delight at the result. "This is a wonderful and unbelievable day for the team and I," he said. "We've pushed so hard since last year to be able to improve this car race by race. And here we are!

"It was tough, especially because of the rear tyres which I was struggling with, but I'm pretty happy because we were just competitive from the first lap." Maldonado's heroic status was raised further when Williams' garage caught fire post-race and he rescued his cousin, Manuel, who had previously sustained a foot injury. It was one of the most bizarre weekends in Formula 1's history as the much maligned Maldonado and a Williams outfit stuck in the doldrums had beaten mighty opposition to win a Grand Prix. Williams has yet to add another victory to its name, while it proved to be the high point of Maldonado's Formula 1 career. Sensational performances in Singapore and Abu Dhabi went to waste due to car failure, and a podium went begging in Valencia following a late collision with Hamilton. Poor equipment and mistakes hampered 2013, with Williams, and 2014, with Lotus, while a handful of points were the high points of 2015 for Maldonado.

Nonetheless, he competed in 96 Grands Prix and amassed 76 points – the manner in which he accumulated 25 of those beneath the Spanish sun in 2012 was an outstanding oddity in Formula 1 history. Pastor Maldonado // Formula 1 driver Driver number 13 Maldonado was initially a racer criticised for crashing, but the Venezuelan has calmed his driving style somewhat. His one race victory in Spain 2012, plus some serious backing, allowed him to leave Williams behind – not what you’d call an amicable parting – and move on to Lotus F1 for the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Unfortunately for Pastor, his sponsors ran out of cash at the start of 2016 and he was forced to announce his departure from the team for the time being. F1 biography Pastor Maldonado hails from Venezuela, but raced in Europe for his early single seater experience. Participating in the Formula Renault series in Italy, he also raced in Formula Renault events. Formula One gave Maldonado a very early look, as he was granted a test drive with the Minardi team in Italy.

It would be several years before he made the step up, however. In the meantime, he continued racing in the Italian F3000 event, as well as the World Series by Renault. During the latter series, in 2005, he was given a four-race ban for dangerous driving after striking and injuring a marshal. In 2006, he missed out on the Formula Renault 3.5 championship due to a car-related disqualification and in 2007, he signed to drive in the GP2 series. A broken collarbone hindered his progress in his debut year but he started picking up a string of good results in 2008. In 2010, he finally secured the championship, and F1 started to pay attention again. Maldonado was given a test by the then-Campos Meta team but budgetary constraints saw them opt for another driver. He was signed by Williams F1 for the 2011 Formula One season, making his debut in Australia. His first year in the sport was a controversial one, as the Venezuelan was involved in several crashes, picked up many penalties, and came under fire for his attitude both before and after the incidents.

Williams retained him for the 2012 season, and Maldonado picked up the team’s first pole position for a long while at the Spanish Grand Prix. He went on to convert it to victory, although this was to be the highlight of his time at Williams. Results dropped off dramatically, and by the end of 2013, Maldonado was accusing his team of sabotage and gladly accepting an offer from Lotus for a change in 2014. The team had less pace than they had the previous year, which left both drivers lacking results. Maldonado secured only one points finish, and retired from several races, finishing the championship 16th overall with just two points to his name. He remained with Lotus for 2015 but was forced to announce his departure from the team ahead of 2016, due to issues with sponsorship payments. Learn more about Pastor Maldonado with the Pocket F1 Handbook . Share Analysis: Maldonado, Doctor Jekyll or Mr Hyde? Analysis: Maldonado, Doctor Jekyll or Mr Hyde?

9,318 views By: Valentin Khorounzhiy , News Editor 03/02/2016 09:17 Love him or hate him, Pastor Maldonado left no one indifferent during his five-year spell in Formula 1. Valentin Khorounzhiy evaluates the F1 career of a man who made his mark in the sport. It is probably fair to say that even the biggest connoisseurs of Formula 1's driver market history will be hard-pressed to think of a change more popular than Renault's recent last-second decision to hire Kevin Magnussen in place of Pastor Maldonado. Part of why that move has been so well received is, of course, the public perception of Magnussen, a driver who most will agree has been hard done by in his previous F1 stint and who still has plenty to offer in the sport. Yet the fans' positivity towards the Dane gets massively overshadowed by the glee, the open expressions of euphoria over Maldonado being kicked out.

For many F1 drivers, losing a seat means the end of their careers in the category, and Maldonado, despite his well-documented support from his government, could be no exception. If the 2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was indeed the Venezuelan's final race, will he be remembered as a punchline – a hero for one grand prix and a spectacular joke for the 94 others he contested? And is that the evaluation he will have deserved? The villainous Even Maldonado's staunchest supporters simply have to admit that, in the recent years, the Venezuelan has been, by far, the most unpopular driver on the grid. There have, perhaps, been drivers less-liked – but there have been none more disliked. And it would be simply insulting for anyone to act incredulous as to why that has been the case, for the reasons have been numerous. Maldonado's history of erratic driving, largely in wheel-to-wheel combat, has been well-documented.

His name has long become synonymous with the stewards' room and with subsequent penalties – and while he, perhaps, has never been involved in crashes as spectacular as his erstwhile teammate Romain Grosjean, but he's certainly maximised the sheer numbers. He's also never particularly cared to own up and take the blame for his infractions, which, to be fair, is true for pretty much every driver on the grid, except that none of the others have had to defend themselves on quite as many occasions. Maldonado, however, has also sometimes opted to play the victim of perceptions and confirmation bias - and while he has been in fact the victim of horrifically unfunny nicknames and terrible jokes, it's a lot harder to suggest, within any reasonable doubt, that the stewards have been in on the Maldonado roasting this whole time. He's a pay driver – not just that, he's basically the face of the modern pay driver. For the last few years, his backers paid a lot to ensure his place on the grid, as other drivers struggled to break into the sport.

And his backers also just happen to be the government of a country that, despite its rather low levels of income inequality, has generally been perceived as rather poor – and is currently suffering economic turmoil tied to the fall of the very oil prices that have helped keep Maldonado in Formula 1. The rapid Maldonado is crash-prone. He is arrogant. But, by ordinary racing driver standards, he's brutally quick – and even by F1 standards, he's far from slow. In every major junior series where Maldonado competed full-time – and even in a lot of the ones where he just made cameos – the Venezuelan banked race wins. In GP2, he won on his fourth start – and while it did take him until the fourth season to take the title, he did so in quite some style. Spending his debut season in a distinctly uncompetitive Williams FW33, he was on course for the team's best finish of the year by far in Monaco, only to tangle with Lewis Hamilton – a collision for which the Briton, not Maldonado, would be penalised.

And while he would go on to have a completely unnecessary incident with Hamilton at Spa, one he deserved much more than a five-place grid drop for, his pace quite encouraging for a rookie – and by the end of the year he was a regular match for Rubens Barrichello. 2012, of course, was marked by that Spanish Grand Prix win which, while helped by Hamilton's qualifying exclusion,was still earned by a sublime Sunday performance against an in-form Fernando Alonso. For the rest of the season, however, the Venezuelan would throw away great qualifying performances with mistake after mistake, albeit he was harshly denied chances of further podiums with mechanical issues in Singapore and Abu Dhabi. The erratic At no point since would Maldonado end up driving a car as good as the FW34, and at no point would he be nearly as good as on May 13, 2012. He was frequently outperformed by debutant Valtteri Bottas the year after, and did himself no favours by having a public falling out with Williams. And then, having joined Lotus, he got Grosjean as a teammate, the Frenchman proceeding to completely obliterate Maldonado's reputation as a qualifying expert.

It was a lack of evident progress, perhaps, that seems most disappointing than anything else. The crashing never subsided compared to his early years, and, in fact, seemed to get worse as it went along. The speed, meanwhile, never went away – but never really became something Maldonado could display with any consistency. In early 2015, he looked particularly limp next to Grosjean in qualifying and kept making mistakes in the races, and while both of those aspects were improved on quite a bit in the latter half of the season, it was arguably too little, well too late. If it were an argument of merit, not sponsorship, would Maldonado have any chance of holding on to a Renault seat over a Magnussen – or over a wildcard like Stoffel Vandoorne or Jean-Eric Vergne? No. Of course not. He's had his chance and, over the past three years, has found himself outperformed more often than not. But is Maldonado, grand prix winner Maldonado, anywhere the worst driver on the grid, and anywhere near as poor as all the dreadful jokes and angry ramblings made him out to be? He isn't even close.

Question: What is the first name of Mr. Maldonado, the Venezuelan Formula 1 driver?
Answer: PASTOR