Maldonado splits with Jota WEC team on eve of 2019/20 season opener
Pastor Maldonado has announced he will not participate in the 2019/20 World Endurance Championship season with the Jota Sport LMP2 team
Formula 1 race winner Maldonado was due to join Anthony Davidson and Roberto Gonzalez in Jota's #38 Oreca 07 for the new campaign, the trio having all moved across together from the DragonSpeed for 2019/20.
However, on Friday, the Venezuelan wrote on his Instagram account that he has parted ways with the team ahead of next weekend's Silverstone season opener.
He wrote: "I want to inform that officially I'll not participate this season together with my teammates Roberto Gonzalez and Anthony Davidson in Jota Sport [in WEC] due to not reaching a balance agreement between the parties.
"I take the opportunity to wish the best of luck to my ex-teammates for this championship 2019-2020. I'll give you news about my future soon."
Jota is expected to announce a replacement for Maldonado imminently, with ex-BMW WEC driver Antonio Felix da Costa tipped to join Davidson and Gonzalez at Silverstone and the rest of the 2019/20 season.
Gonzalez commented: "I greatly thank Pastor Maldonado for the magnificent work he did with us this time in the FIA WEC. No doubt we all grew up together, formed a great team and achieved excellent results.
"I wish him and his family the best in all his projects.
"I also take the opportunity to welcome Antonio Felix da Costa, who will be completing the alignment of Jota #38 for the 2019/20 season.
"I know he is a great driver, he has a lot of experience, and he will contribute a lot to the team."
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