Maldonado hopes successful Mexican GP boosts Venezuela's hopes
Pastor Maldonado believes a successful Mexican Grand Prix in 2014 can boost the hopes of a Formula 1 race being staged in Venezuela


The Williams driver expects next year's race in Mexico to boost interest in F1 in the region as his home country seeks investment for its own race after previously staging only demo events.
"It's very good because Mexico is a great market for the sport, there is a big fan community there and it's going to be a very successful GP," he said.
"It's so great to be close to home, and why not in the future have a Venezuelan Grand Prix?
"Everything is possible; let's see how the Mexican GP goes and then we need to sit down and check if we can do that."
The idea of a race in Venezuela has been under discussion in the country since Maldonado graduated to F1 with Williams in 2011.
While no formal plan has been proposed, Maldonado is confident that it is a realistic possibility.
But to make a race happen, a new circuit to F1 standards would have to be built, requiring significant investment.
"We have some good plans to [build a track] but at the moment the plan is not concrete," said Maldonado.
"We need to wait for the Mexican GP to happen. If that goes in a good way, maybe Venezuela can enter the season."
There has been some criticism in Venezuela about the amount of money invested in motorsport, with Maldonado's Williams team heavily backed by government-owned PDVSA.
But Maldonado believes that the expense of staging a grand prix would be justified by the international attention it brings to his country.
"In the past, we have had the Copa America football [in 2011], and the sports culture of Venezuela is getting bigger.
"They are investing a lot at the moment and we have had some international championships there."
DID YOU KNOW?
Venezuela hosted three motorcycle grands prix from 1977-1979. Barry Sheene won the 500cc main event on all three occasions.

Kimi Raikkonen's greatest moments
Ex-Ferrari chief says Kimi Raikkonen not the right man for F1 team

Latest news
The “solemn promise” that cost quiet hero Brooks an F1 title
After two terrifying crashes, one of the best British racers of the 1950s retired before his career peaked. But that’s why GP Racing’s MAURICE HAMILTON was able to speak to Tony Brooks in 2014. Like his friend Stirling Moss, Brooks was regarded as one of the best drivers never to have won the world championship. Here, as our tribute to Brooks who died last month, is that interview in full
Inside the Faenza facility where AlphaTauri’s F1 pragmatic vision is realised
AlphaTauri’s mission in F1 is to sell clothes and train young drivers rather than win the championship – but you still need a cutting-edge factory to do that. Team boss Franz Tost takes GP Racing’s OLEG KARPOV on a guided tour of a facility that’s continuing to grow
Connecting two of Ferrari's favourite F1 sons
Gilles Villeneuve's exploits behind the wheel of a Ferrari made him a legend to the tifosi, even 40 years after his death. The team's current Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc enjoys a similar status, and recently got behind the wheel of a very special car from the French-Canadian’s career
How a 30cm metal wire triggered open warfare in the F1 paddock
Porpoising has become the key talking point during the 2022 Formula 1 season, as teams battle to come to terms with it. An FIA technical directive ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix and a second stay appearing on the Mercedes cars only served to create a bigger debate and raise tensions further
Does Verstappen have any weaknesses left?
Having extended his Formula 1 points lead with victory in Canada, Max Verstappen has raised his game further following his 2021 title triumph. Even on the days where Red Bull appears to be second best to Ferrari, Verstappen is getting the most out of the car in each race. So, does he have any weaknesses that his title rivals can exploit?
How F1's future fuels can shape the automotive sector
In 2026, Formula 1 plans to make the switch to a fully sustainable fuel, as the greater automotive world considers its own alternative propulsion methods. Biogasoline and e-fuels both have merit as 'drop-in' fuels but, equally, both have their shortcomings...
The breakthrough behind Sainz’s best weekend of F1 2022 so far
OPINION: Carlos Sainz came close to winning in Monaco but needed that race’s specific circumstances for his shot at a maiden Formula 1 victory to appear. Last weekend in Canada, he led the line for Ferrari in Charles Leclerc’s absence from the front. And there’s a key reason why Sainz has turned his 2022 form around
Canadian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
Plenty of high scores but just a single perfect 10 from the first Montreal race in three years, as Max Verstappen fended off late pressure from Carlos Sainz. Here’s Autosport’s assessment on the Formula 1 drivers from the Canadian Grand Prix