It was reported that the incident justified Lotus's decision to save their sole example of a new front-wing design they had brought to this race for his team-mate Romain Grosjean. [13], Maldonado secured a full-time drive in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series with Draco Racing in 2006. i think its a shame that the Venezuelan government keeps spending money on one of the worst if not the worst driver in F-1 !!!! In 2013 Maldonado also had 5 driver related reprimands, ranging from speeding in the pit-lane to causing collisions. How good was Pastor Maldonado? - The Race He failed to slow down at the scene of an accident at Monaco, despite the presence of warning flags, and struck and seriously injured a marshal. Gets hit by Felipe Nasr, keeps the throttle open, and spins into the wall on lap 1. 2 man, Grosjean. Analysis: Does Pastor Maldonado deserve his bad F1 reputation? After taking the GP2 title, Maldonado made the jump to F1 in 2011, driving for Williams. Prez also called for the stewards to take tough action against Maldonado. Let's say a certain curve can be taken at a hundred miles an hour. Review his driving record below and make your own decision. Amongst the current field of Grand Prix drivers there are none who receive more frequent criticism than Pastor Maldonado. Over the last four years Maldonado has been involved in a string of incidents, and has received more penalties than any other driver, giving him a reputation as an accident waiting to happen. He has had at least 11 incidents minimum each season and a max of 16. At a quick glance, some updates on the rest of this years incidents (Im sure Ive missed some), Malaysia 2015 race. Collides with Lewis Hamilton whilst being overtaken on Lap 73. Kevin Magnussen completes deal to replace Pastor Maldonado. [28], Towards the end of the 2010 season, Maldonado was linked to the Williams team for 2011, replacing former GP2 team-mate Nico Hlkenberg alongside Rubens Barrichello. [103], (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap). Monaco 2015 race. [49] Maldonado finished the season with a ninth place from ninth on the grid in the USA and a DNF after a second lap crash from sixteenth from the grid after a ten place penalty for a third reprimand after missing a weighbridge check in Brazil, as he finished fifteenth in the Championship on 45 points, the lowest Championship standing for a driver who won a race during an F1 season. Barcelona F1 test: Pastor Maldonado fastest on day three for Lotus, Barcelona F1 test: Maldonado fastest, Wolff and Nasr collide, Barcelona F1 test: Maldonado fastest, Wolff and Nasr collide Four podium finishesincluding a win at Spain the final six races saw him rise to fifth place in the drivers' championship by the end of the season. [50], On 28 November 2012, Maldonado was retained by Williams for the 2013 season, where he was partnered by Finnish rookie Valtteri Bottas. wife founders of Miami megachurch spar Lotus F1 Team's Pastor Maldonado eyeing first 2015 points in Monaco, Lotus F1 Team's Pastor Maldonado eyeing first 2015 points in Monaco More than half of these incidents arent even his fault. Pastor Maldonado says F1 crash criticism doesn't bother him, Pastor Maldonado denies his F1 funding is in jeopardy, Pastor Maldonado denies his F1 funding is in jeopardy 2021 O. Piastri But still he drove on, and in his final season in the Championship, the chaos continued, with countless crashes and calamities tarring the Venezuelans name. Maldonado's performances in FR3.5 were enough to attract the interest of GP2 teams, and he signed a contract to drive for Trident Racing in 2007 after a successful test in late 2006. [105], Maldonado married Venezuelan journalist Gabriela Tarkanyi on 15 December 2012, in Canaima, Venezuela. However, it all went downhill when he joined the Super Aguri F1 team in 2006. Pastor Maldonado expects 'great things' from Renault F1 revival, Pastor Maldonado rejects Jenson Button's Singapore GP criticism, Pastor Maldonado rejects Jenson Button's Singapore GP criticism He was also the most reprimanded Formula One driver in 2012, a clear 5 points ahead of his nearest rival, Michael Schumacher. In fact, he did things that almost seemed planned by a Venezuelan racing driver Pastor Maldonado is pretty much a fan favourite, albeit for a different reason. Seriously, I think that we have been very unfair! [54] At the following round in Malaysia, Maldonado did make the second qualifying session but was caught out by the rain meaning he failed to set a time and started the race 16th. He became the first Venezuelan to win a Formula One Grand Prix when he won the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix for Williams, from his first and only pole position. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. But the Venezuelan says that the front row is his natural habitat and his critics don't realise Jumps the start and receives a penalty for doing so. He remains the most recent Williams driver to win a race as of December2022[update]. Chinese GP: Pastor Maldonado pit problem 'caused by brakes' Lotus driver Pastor Maldonado endured an eventful Chinese Grand Prix, veering from the ridiculous Pastor Maldonado He gets blamed for accidents that arent his fault, simply because its easy to do so, and the effect of that snowballs. Lotus F1 driver Pastor Maldonado not interested in driver coaches, Max Verstappen amused by criticism from F1 rival Pastor Maldonado, Max Verstappen amused by criticism from F1 rival Pastor Maldonado But he wasnt always bad. Spins into the wall coming out of parabolica during qualifying. Lotus' Pastor Maldonado crashed out of the opening round of the 2015 Formula 1 season, after he was clipped going into turn two of the Australian GP Maldonado's and Hamiltons spat continued in Belgium, when the Williams man deliberately drove into the Brit after qualifying, and earned himself a five-place grid penalty. Mercedes F1 move would not cure Lotus issues instantly - Maldonado, Pastor Maldonado says F1 crash criticism doesn't bother him, Pastor Maldonado says F1 crash criticism doesn't bother him Dont forget the single-car crash at T3 in the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix! Heres our shortlist of the most accident-prone F1 drivers. In the first five races of his first season in the Championship, 1995, the pay driver spun off in three. [91] Commentators looked back at his career fondly while commenting on the inconsistency that had earned him the nickname "Crashtor". Belgian GP: Pastor Maldonado says F1 practice crash 'very unlucky', Criticism now part of Lotus F1 driver Pastor Maldonado's life, Criticism now part of Lotus F1 driver Pastor Maldonado's life Improbably, Pastor Maldonado is one of them, and it is difficult to imagine another driver on that list whose talent behind the wheel is more lightly regarded. Pastor Maldonado's 2015 crashes: Was Crashtor really to blame? 1M views 7 years ago. Maldonado also received 14 penalties throughout the season, five ahead of Sergio Prez and Michael Schumacher, Maldonado's grid penalties for both driving offences and gearbox changes totaled to 38 grid places, 1.8 per race. Maldonado was born on 9 March 1985 in Maracay, Venezuela. Pastor Maldonado says Max Verstappen went too far in Austrian GP. Looking at the average number of penalties received for every 10 races contested, though, Maldonado is fourth, behind last year's Toro Rosso rookies, Carlos Sainz Jr. and Max Verstappen, and new Haas driver Esteban Gutierrez. Do you want daily uptadtes on the crashes of the best F1 driver in the history of the universe? At the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa in qualifying, Maldonado was involved in an incident with Lewis Hamilton on an in-lap after Hamilton squeezed by him when both were on a hot lap. Maldonado clearly has the speed to race in F1, but to be competitive over a 20-race season, you must also be consistent. He competed in the first round of the 2009 Euroseries 3000 season at the Autdromo Internacional do Algarve for Teamcraft Motorsport to gain experience of the track for the GP2 season finale. Has Maldonado crashed today?? Yes, he - Motorsport Maldonado held his lead after the third pit-stop phase, and held off Alonso and Kimi Rikknen to win, becoming the first Venezuelan driver to finish on a Grand Prix podium in the process. [16] Draco Racing lodged an appeal and the results of the championship remained provisional until Italy's National Court of Appeal for Motorsport upheld the stewards' decision at a hearing in January 2007. Pastor Guillermo Maldonado and prophetess Ana Maldonado, the husband and wife team that birthed the Miami-based King Jesus International Ministry, one of the nations largest and fastest-growing Hispanic churches, are now sparring over an estate that court papers say could be worth as much as $120 million. WebYes he has! F1 must seek answers after boring Baku F1 race, says Wolff, Cadillac Eau Rouge WEC shunt was "almost out of a movie scene", Cadillac Eau Rouge WEC shunt was "almost out of a movie scene" Formula 1. Collides with Valtteri Bottas on the last corner of the last lap. [12] However, his participation in the WSR was marred by a four-race ban for dangerous driving. Receives a reprimand and a fine for doing so. Maldonado received a drive-through penalty for "causing an avoidable collision" in an overtaking move on Force India's Paul di Resta for twelfth; he dropped behind di Resta after the penalty and finished thirteenth. Youre kidding right? Pastor Maldonado, I was further informed, had not crashed since the first lap of the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on 15 March. Barcelona F1 test: Pastor Maldonado fastest for Lotus, Visit motorsport.com as usual with advertising and tracking. Crashes in the pitlane entry in Practice 2. Alfonso de Portago, who raced for Ferrari in 1956 and 1957 before dying in a crash at the Mille Miglia, explained the difference between a driver like himself and five-time champion Juan Manuel Fangio to Robert Daley for his book,The Cruel Sport: Every curve has a theoretical limit. Spins at Turn 6 and beaches the car in Practice 1. 2010 P. Maldonado Receives a 30 second penalty for continuing to ignore blue flags. In the Malaysian Grand Prix, Maldonado retired in the closing stages of the race while running in the points. Compilation of Pastor's crashes in his F1 and But he did prove that he was both fast and loose, beating Laudas McLaren to pole position at Long Beach in 1982, and coming within touching distance of various race wins, only to be blighted by mechanical bad luck. So, I think that his only victory was also an accident. F1: Felipe Massa says Pastor Maldonado ruined his Bahrain GP charge, Bahrain GP: Pastor Maldonado "lost power" in F1 qualifying, Bahrain GP: Pastor Maldonado "lost power" in F1 qualifying Crashes into the wall by himself in Practice 2. Pastor Maldonado. Receives a grid penalty for doing so. Later in the race was caught speeding under the safety car and received a 10 second penalty. Or not I dont think the BBC have enough budget for car repairs if he took that role. "[79], Following the mid-season break during first practice at Spa, Maldonado crashed the car into the barriers. 2018 G. Russell, 2019 N. de Vries Maldonado was subsequently involved in a collision with Sergio Prez, which dropped him to last while Prez retired on the spot. Pastor Maldonado was eliminated from Belgian GP by 17G kerb impact, Pastor Maldonado's Belgian GP retirement was self-inflicted - Lotus, Pastor Maldonado's Belgian GP retirement was self-inflicted - Lotus Pastor Maldonado wants an experienced team-mate in F1 in 2016, Pastor Maldonado expects 'great things' from Renault F1 revival, Pastor Maldonado expects 'great things' from Renault F1 revival [40] Maldonado qualified seventh in the British Grand Prix and ran as high as sixth before a pit-stop on lap 11 which dropped him into the midfield. All Rights Reserved. In 66 seasons of the Formula One World Championship, just 95 different drivers have won a grand prix (10 others won the Indianapolis 500 when it counted towards the championship). [104] He was one of the guards of honour at Chvez's funeral. Crashes into the wall by himself at Turn 3 in qualifying. Go Orange. Guillermo Maldonado, founding pastor of the Miami-based King Jesus International Ministry and a loyal supporter of President Donald Trump , shared already debunked claims from the The five most accident-prone F1 drivers | GRR - Goodwood Please add his latest crash in Monza 3 days ago (Monza 15) running into Hulkenberg at race start in the 1st corner, ending his race with a broken suspension. [62] During the race the following day, Maldonado was deemed to have caused a collision when trying to pass Marcus Ericsson, and was given a five-second stop-go penalty. And while most drivers tend to stay as far away from the tyre wall as they possibly can, for a few the draw is almost magnetic. Pastor Maldonado - Wikipedia Without KERS his car lost pace and he fell back to eventually finish fifth.