Pastor Maldonado sure Williams can fight back after run of disappointing results

The team has scored one point since it won the Spanish Grand Prix with Maldonado, and in Canada last time out both he and Bruno Senna struggled.

But the Venezuelan, who topped the first free practice session in Valencia on Friday, believes that the FW34 is still capable of fighting at the front.

"The car is competitive," said Maldonado. "We just need to put everything together. The last two races, for whatever reasons, we didn't. But the good thing is that we can always be competitive.

"Maybe we cannot always be at the front, but we are close. That means that the car is good, and we didn't lose our pace."

Maldonado believes that the Valencia layout offers Williams an ideal opportunity to get back among the frontrunners, as the nature of the circuit should play to the car's strengths.

"This is a stop and go track," he added. "It's a big braking and traction track, with lots of second gear corners. We have been good in slow parts, we have worked hard on these kinds of corners and we found a good balance.

"I think here is going to be a good chance for us to become strong again."