Maldonado set for Williams?
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- 16th October 2010, 19:36 at 7:36 pm #128219luigismenParticipant
I read on Twitter from a ESPN Latin America journalist that Pastor Maldonado is set to grab a Williams drive for 2011, anyone know something about that???
16th October 2010, 19:40 at 7:40 pm #147457jonnyw360f1ParticipantWell, this is the same driver that spent several years trying to win GP2 while other drivers came and left. To be honest, I don’t think he’d last long in F1 and certainly hope he doesn’t force Rubens into retirement or Hulkenberg out. The only way I see him getting in is with Venezuelan government/sponsorship money – he would be the Yamamoto of South America.
16th October 2010, 19:51 at 7:51 pm #147458luigismenParticipantMaybe, but look at the case of Petrov at Renault, I admit that Williams could have a better driver with them, but I really would like to see Maldonado get his chance in a F1 car for once. Don’t expect him to be the Yamamoto of South America, I rate him so much better
16th October 2010, 20:04 at 8:04 pm #147459sbl on tourParticipantchop and change , what is the point of it, maldonado will last a year like the rest and then he,ll be on his ear just like the others, wonder who will get the drive in 2012
16th October 2010, 20:56 at 8:56 pm #147460GeorgeParticipantWilliams have a good driver line up, this would be a terrible move.
17th October 2010, 0:39 at 12:39 am #147461wasiF1ParticipantDidn’t heard about it but I think the current team line up is good. With the experience to Barrichello he had contributed to the team a lot since the UK GP & Nico being a rookie have done a very good job.So I don’t find a point to change that order until they have some sponsor issue like HRT.
17th October 2010, 0:40 at 12:40 am #147462Fer no.65Participant(copy paste from the Silly Season 2011 thread):
that’s dissapointing… I think Hulkenberg more than deserves another season at Williams… It’s something only Williams benefits from, with a rookie on his 2nd season, rather than starting all over again with Pastor.
Plus, Hulkenberg has been an F1 driver for a year now. So he’ll only need to adapt to the new Pirellis. Maldonado on the other hand, will have to learn from 0, while the team gets used to the new tyres. Too much for a debut year!
17th October 2010, 6:03 at 6:03 am #147463Prisoner MonkeysParticipantVenezuealan media reporting that Maldonado has signed to Williams and that PDVSA have released the funds needed to back the team. But they keep quoting un-named sources, so I’m doubtful.
Williams have a good driver line up, this would be a terrible move.
Nico Hulkenberg is not a racer. He’s a qualifier. When Jarno Truli retires, he’s the heir apparent to the Italian’s title of Formula 1’s best one-lap specialist. But his racing is fraught with errors. He needs to relax and not drive so angrily. His races in Belgium, Italy and Singapore were loaded with critical errors as he kept skipping over the kerbs, and he keeps screwing up his starts. He finishes races in a lower position than he started in more often than he finishes in a higher one. He actually reminds me of a young Felipe Massa – far too impetuous for his own good. If Massa leaves Ferrari, Maranello could hammer some sense into Hulkenberg. Otherwise, he’s just going to go down in history as the driver who failed to reach his potential because he was his own worst enemy.
17th October 2010, 9:02 at 9:02 am #147464gabalParticipantAs a Williams fan I think that would be a bad idea. I follow GP2 championship and last year when Maldonando (in his third gp2 season) was teammate with Hülkenberg in ART German rookie after few races of learning the ropes blew him out of the water. This season of GP2 suffered from a drop in quality that happens cyclically – 4 drivers who were on the top of the championship last year left and there was a power vacuum in which Maldonando in his 4th season flourished.
If such deal really happens it means Williams need cash more then he needs performance from its drivers. I hope this stories are merely a way to force Wili Webber to agree to lower price for next year’s contract for his protegee.
17th October 2010, 9:09 at 9:09 am #147465IcthyesParticipantWhat a shame for Williams if it happens, it would be the second time in recent history that they took on a driver just for money, this time replacing a better driver too.
17th October 2010, 9:11 at 9:11 am #147466AnonymousInactiveWhat was the first one? (Kazuki boy?)
17th October 2010, 10:23 at 10:23 am #147467Red AndyParticipantNakajima wasn’t for money per se, it was for the Toyota engines. And he was quite handy in 2008, picking up points when the car was capable of it. In contrast to Rosberg, who would qualify well and then throw it at the scenery in the race (e.g. Monaco, Canada).
I think even if Hulkenberg is booted out at Williams, there will be room for him at another team – perhaps one of the new(ish) ones.
17th October 2010, 13:09 at 1:09 pm #147468IcthyesParticipantYeh nevermind Rosberg nearly got double his points in 2008 and in 2009 Nakajima scored 0 to Rosberg’s 35.5 ;)
Regardless, Maldonado would be a step back. It’s just a rumour to apply pressure to Hulkenburg.
17th October 2010, 13:18 at 1:18 pm #147469ScribeParticipantProbably just negotiating tactic like Icthyes says but if Hulkenburg’s problem is his temprement, and lets face it, people who have been collecting titles from a ridiculous age with rises as metoric as Hulkenburg, who have won almost everything he’s competed in during his career so far, might need to be taken down a notch.
Maybe, loosing his heir apparent, superstar in the making status, an having to rebuild and regroup in a smaller lower team, with less history and prestige than Williams might do him the world of good.
Probably no good for Williams though, Maldonado ability with respect to Hulkenburg was made obvious by their seasons last year, Maldonado wil need to have serious money bags.
And anyway, Petrov being Hulkenburgs only comparable rookie hasn’t done that much better.
17th October 2010, 13:20 at 1:20 pm #147470JourneyerParticipantI think this is more of a coded message to Willi than anything. Hulk is no Schumi (not yet, anyway). And while his first season has been solid for a rookie, I certainly don’t think it’s enough to justify any pay-raise just yet. Because let’s face it, the teams who can afford to pay Hulk more are further to the front – and except for Renault, there are no free seats there right now. And to get into Renault, Hulk will need to bring money (more than Petrov) to get the seat.
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