Ex-F1 driver Maldonado wants 'reset' after tough WEC debut at Spa
Ex-Formula 1 driver Pastor Maldonado says his DragonSpeed LMP2 team must "reset" after a troubled World Endurance Championship debut at Spa
Maldonado topped all three practice sessions in DragonSpeed's #31 ORECA ahead of qualifying and charged from fifth on the LMP2 grid to second in the opening stint of the race.
But the Venezuelan was later beset by issues, as were team-mates Roberto Gonzalez and Nathanael Berthon, including a brief stoppage on track and a drivethrough penalty for speeding in the pitlane.
"I think the potential is good, as we saw at the beginning of the race, but so many things were happening and we got penalised because of that," Maldonado told Autosport after the #31 car ended up sixth in class at the finish, a lap down on the winning G-Drive ORECA.
"We need to reset a little bit, taking this race like a real learning book, to review all the details and start from that point.
"The pace is there, so we just need to put things together and then we can fight.
"It was very important to finish the race and know how to race in all situations - [on] old tyres, new tyres... it's good experience. The next one will be better.
"We were expecting to be fighting for victory. But we didn't put things together. We need to work harder, and learn from this one."
The Spa race was Maldonado's first world championship-level race since his final race for the Lotus-Renault outfit in F1 in 2015.
His next race with the DragonSpeed team will be the Le Mans 24 Hours next month.
"I'm learning, this is all new for me," he added.
"I'm trying to do my best, give my experience to the team and grow something very good. I feel ready to discover the experience [of Le Mans].
"The team is quite young but very professional, they are fighters. They want to do their best. They are confident.
"We need to enjoy what we are doing and try to push as much as possible."
G-Drive looking at more WEC superseason entries after Spa LMP2 win
McLaren F1 team: New WEC prototype rules for 2020/21 'compelling'
How Formula E's double-duty drivers influenced their Le Mans teams' fortunes
Eight Formula E drivers made the 7,000-mile sprint from the streets of Jakarta to the fabled Circuit de la Sarthe and every one had a story to share at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours. Despite a range of triumphs and disappointments, each driver doubling up on the day job played a key role in their teams' fortunes
How an Italian junior formula giant is readying for its Le Mans future
Prema remains a colossus in single-seaters, but the serial Formula 2 and Formula 3 title-winning squad has joined forces with top GT squad Iron Lynx for an attack on sportscars in the World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series. Ahead of its debut at the Le Mans 24 Hours, its sights are firmly fixed on LMP2 glory – and a future in Hypercars next year...
The British rookies targeting a good first impression at Le Mans
Three young Britons will make their first starts in the Le Mans 24 Hours this weekend in the highly-competitive 23-car GTE Am field. But how did they get here? Autosport hears their stories.
The wingless wonder Peugeot hopes will restore it to Le Mans glory
Peugeot went radical with the initial plan for its Le Mans Hypercar project, and then stuck to its guns. Here’s how things are shaping up a few weeks before the debut of the 9X8 in next month's Monza World Endurance Championship round
How Toyota’s sole survivor turned the tables at Spa
After a chastening opening to the season at Sebring that ended in an enormous accident, Toyota's #7 crew got their World Endurance Championship underway with victory at a treacherously slippery Spa to make up for its sister car's Sebring defeat to Alpine, as Glickenhaus's promising qualifying turned to disaster in the race
The Chinese sportscar protege targeting a path to the top with Porsche
Yifei Ye came within one lap of winning the LMP2 class on his Le Mans 24 Hours debut last year, and his eye-catching 2021 has gained Porsche’s interest. With the German manufacturer preparing for a return to the top tier, the Chinese youngster is on the path to join it
How WEC got off to a stormy start in 2022 as rulemakers dampen Toyota's dominance
Toyota’s stranglehold on the World Endurance Championship ended at the 2022 opener at Sebring, but all accusing eyes were on the Balance of Performance system as the key to the shake-up. Here's how it unfolded, to see Alpine celebrating under a stormy sky having blown away the defending champions
Why Penske remains ambitious for its WEC learning year
Team Penske is gearing up for its role in running Porsche’s LMDh programme from 2023 by entering this year's World Endurance Championship with an LMP2 car. Although the team is considering 2022 as a season to learn, it is no less serious about winning than ever - which should make the already fiercely competitive class even more so