Maldonado says team switch was key to get back to winning ways
Pastor Maldonado believes a change of teams for next year is essential if he is to get back to winning ways in Formula 1
The Venezuelan is close to a deal with Lotus for 2014, but if his talks are not successful there remains a chance he could yet accept an offer he has from Sauber.
When asked by AUTOSPORT if he believed a new environment would be good for him after a frustrating season at Williams, Maldonado said: "I think it was the best decision for me, and for the team, because I did not feel quite well there.
"It can happen even in the best family. The team I knew in 2011 changed a lot, and I was not full of confidence with the people around the team at the moment.
"The race team is fantastic, amazing, and I will miss them because together we have been fighting even in very tough conditions.
"All my guys have been working very hard for me and I have been working very hard for them, I will miss them."
Although this season has not produced anywhere near the kind of results he enjoyed in 2012 - which included a famous win at the Spanish Grand Prix - Maldonado thinks he has learned a lot this year.
"I will do my best with my new team," he said. "I hope to have the full support from them as well as I had last year and we were very competitive.
"We did many mistakes, from the driving point of view, and the team point of view as well with pit stops and many problems with the reliability of the car as well. But this is a learning process.
"This year was more clean for me, but there was no performance in the car. So I am really looking forward."
Previous article
Martin Whitmarsh relieved Sergio Perez set for Force India F1 seat
Next article
Heikki Kovalainen 'underestimated' F1 Lotus stand-in challenge
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Pastor Maldonado |
| Author | Jonathan Noble |
How F1’s street track return can offer Verstappen redemption
Red Bull has failed to capitalise on having the best car in the opening rounds. BEN EDWARDS thinks change is around the corner
The AlphaTauri improvements that mean Gasly’s form is no fluke
Pierre Gasly has driven superbly since demotion from Red Bull in 2019, but the team formerly known as Toro Rosso has come on strong too – building a car that can often challenge Ferrari and McLaren. Here Gasly reveals to ALEX KALINAUCKAS how AlphaTauri has given him the tools needed to rebuild his reputation
Why Bottas feels the time has come to be “more selfish”
We’ve seen five distinct versions of Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes as he’s tried to fulfil his own ambitions while being a consummate team player – two difficult, competing missions which have been challenging to reconcile. Speaking exclusively to STUART CODLING, Bottas explains his highs and lows… and why he still believes he can be world champion
Does Aston have a case in F1 2021’s big technical row?
Aston Martin claims Formula 1’s latest technical tweaks have cost it competitiveness – and that it’s the innocent victim of a regulatory stitch-up aimed at pegging back Mercedes. But is any of this actually true? It depends on who you ask, says STUART CODLING
How long can F1 2021's brewing title battle stay clean?
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have been evenly matched so far in the 2021 Formula 1 title race. Neither has been afraid to get aggressive against each other on track, teeing up an enthralling contest as the year unwinds. But is their rivalry destined to end in broken shards of carbon fibre?
What the Spain result tells F1 about the next phase of the Mercedes/Red Bull title fight
OPINION: Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have recovered from their pre-season woes to take three wins from the opening four races of 2021. But each time Red Bull and Max Verstappen have pushed them hard. So, what clues did the latest round of that battle – the Spanish Grand Prix – tease about the next stage of the season?
How Brabham’s one-hit wonder was boxed into a corner
The Brabham BT46B raced once, won once, then vanished – or did it? STUART CODLING reveals the story of the car which was never actually banned…
The changes Barcelona needs to provide a modern-day F1 spectacle
Formula 1’s visits to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya over recent years have been met with familiar criticisms despite tweaks here and there to the track to improve racing. With the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix largely going the same way, proper solutions need to be followed to achieve F1’s wider targets
