Pastor Maldonado
Encyclopedia
Pastor Rafael Maldonado Motta (born March 9, 1985 in Maracay
Maracay
Maracay is a city in north-central Venezuela, near the Caribbean coast, and is the capital and most important city of the state of Aragua. Most of it falls under the jurisdiction of the Girardot Municipality. The population as per the 2001 census was 750,000...

) is a Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...

n Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...

 driver. Before making his Formula One debut in 2011, he won the 2010 GP2
2010 GP2 Series season
The 2010 GP2 Series season was the sixth GP2 Series season. The season began on 8 May at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain and ended on 14 November at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates after 20 races held at ten meetings....

 championship.

Formula Renault

Maldonado's first experience of formula racing
Formula racing
Formula racing is a term that refers to various forms of open wheeled single seater motorsport. Its origin lies in the nomenclature that was adopted by the FIA for all of its post-World War II single seater regulations, or formulae. The best known of these formulæ are Formula One, Formula Two, and...

 began in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 in 2003. He competed in the Italian Formula Renault
Formula Renault
Formula Renault is a class of formula racing founded in 1971. It is popular in Europe and other countries. Regarded as an entry-level series to motor racing, it is a respected series where drivers can learn advanced racecraft before moving on to Formula Three, World Series by Renault, GP2 or...

 Championship with Cram Competition, and was classified seventh in the drivers' championship. His notable results included three podium finishes and one pole position. Cram Competition also entered one round of the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 Formula Renault Championship at Oschersleben
Motorsport Arena Oschersleben
The Motorsport Arena Oschersleben is long race track with a width of 11 – 13 meters and elevation changes of 23 metres. The circuit is located in Oschersleben, Börde , Northern Germany...

.

In 2004, Maldonado ran a dual programme in Italian and European Formula Renault with Cram Competition. He won the Italian title, with eight wins and six pole positions from seventeen starts. In the European championship, he was classified eighth overall, with two wins. Maldonado also found the time to enter one round of the now defunct Formula Renault V6 Eurocup
Formula Renault V6 Eurocup
Formula Renault V6 Eurocup is a former type of formula racing, active from 2003 to 2004, started by Renault as a support series in Eurosport's Super Racing Weekends...

 at Spa-Francorchamps, with a best finish of fifth place.

In November 2004, Maldonado was given an opportunity to test with the Minardi
Minardi
Minardi was an automobile racing team and constructor founded in 1979 by Giancarlo Minardi. It competed in the Formula One World Championship from 1985 until 2005 with little success, nevertheless acquiring a loyal following of fans...

 Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...

 team at Misano in Italy. The team's former owner, Giancarlo Minardi
Giancarlo Minardi
Giancarlo Minardi is the founder and former Managing Director of the now-defunct Minardi Formula One team.Minardi was born in Faenza , Italy and has spent his life with cars. As a young boy, his family managed a Fiat dealership and an Agip fuel station, and currently manages Iveco and Selenia...

, was present at the test and commented positively about Maldonado's performance.

Italian F3000

In 2005, Maldonado progressed out of Formula Renault, but did not get the opportunity to complete a full season in any one series. He made four starts in the Italian F3000
Euro Formula 3000
Auto GP, formerly known as both Euro Formula 3000 and Euroseries 3000, is a European formula racing series.The series' roots can be traced back to 1999, and the Italian Formula 3000 series, organised by Pierluigi Corbari, which used old Lola chassis with Zytek engines. The teams used the Lola...

 Championship with Sighinolfi Auto Racing, in which one race win was enough to finish ninth overall. He also entered nine races (and made seven starts) in the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

-based World Series by Renault
World Series by Renault
The World Series by Renault, formerly the World Series by Nissan from 1998 to 2004, is a motor racing series. The series consists of the flagship Formula Renault 3.5 Series , the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and the Eurocup Mégane Trophy...

, with a best finish of seventh. However, his participation in the WSR was marred by a four-race ban for dangerous driving. He failed to slow down at the scene of an accident at Monaco
Circuit de Monaco
Circuit de Monaco is a street circuit laid out on the city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine around the harbour of the principality of Monaco. It is commonly referred to as "Monte Carlo" because it is largely inside the Monte Carlo neighbourhood of Monaco.The circuit is used on one weekend in...

, despite the presence of warning flags, and struck and seriously injured a marshal.

Formula Renault 3.5

Maldonado secured a full-time drive in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series with Draco Racing in 2006. He was classified third overall, with three race wins, six further podium finishes, and five pole positions.

Controversy

However, in a season that was marked by controversy, Maldonado could have won the title were it not for a disqualification from first place at Misano for a technical infringement. 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. The lost fifteen points would have been enough to move him up from third to first in the standings, ahead of Alx Danielsson
Alx Danielsson
Alx [Alexander] Danielsson is a Swedish racing driver and the 2006 champion of the Formula Renault 3.5 Series.Danielsson's career started in karting in 1998, where he stayed until 1999 before moving up to Formula Ford...

 and Borja García
Borja Garcia
Borja García is a Spanish race car driver. He was the 2004 Spanish Formula Three champion, and raced in the inaugural GP2 Series season.-Career:...

.

GP2 Series

Maldonado's performances in FR3.5 were enough to attract the interest of GP2
GP2 Series
The GP2 Series, GP2 for short, is a form of open wheel motor racing introduced in 2005 following the discontinuation of the long-term Formula One feeder series, Formula 3000. The format was conceived by Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, while Ecclestone also has the rights to the name GP1...

 teams, and he signed a contract to drive for Trident Racing
Trident Racing
Trident Racing is a motor racing team that competes in single seater formula racing. It was founded in 2006 in order to compete in the GP2 championship, which is Europe's highest-ranking single-seater formula below Formula One. GP2 functions as an official support championship to Formula One and...

 in 2007 after a successful test in late 2006. He took his first victory in only his fourth race in the series with a commanding win at Monaco. However, he had to miss the final four rounds of the season after breaking a collarbone
Clavicle
In human anatomy, the clavicle or collar bone is a long bone of short length that serves as a strut between the scapula and the sternum. It is the only long bone in body that lies horizontally...

 during training, leaving him outside the championship top 10. He has moved to the Piquet Sports team for 2008
2008 GP2 Series season
The 2008 GP2 Series season was the fourth GP2 Series season. It began on April 26 at Barcelona, Spain and it finished on September 14 at Monza, Italy. This is the first season using a new car design to be used during the following 3 seasons. The series was won by Giorgio Pantano.-Season summary:4th...

, his second year in the series. At midseason he has two poles and two podiums. He had a farcical sprint race in the wet at Silverstone
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...

 - he stalled on the dummy grid, picked up a penalty for speeding in the pitlane as he joined the race, another penalty for passing under yellow flags, and crashed into Adrián Vallés
Adrian Valles
Adrián Vallés is a Spanish race car driver.-Career:After a strong karting career, he drove in Spanish Formula Three, before moving to the World Series by Nissan in 2004. The series was renamed World Series by Renault in 2005 while he continued in the series, finishing 2nd in the standings with two...

 and Kamui Kobayashi
Kamui Kobayashi
is a Japanese racing driver. He has competed in the GP2 Series, won the GP2 Asia Series, and made his Formula One debut with Toyota in the final two races of when he replaced Timo Glock after the German was injured in a crash during qualifying for the...

 on the final lap. He started at the back of the grid for the Hungary feature race, but he moved up to finish fifth after staying out for longer than any other driver, and setting a succession of quick laps on these worn tyres. Four podium finishes—including a win at Spa
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race. It is also home to the all Volkswagen club event, 25 Hours of Spa, run by the Uniroyal Fun Cup. It is one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, mainly due to its...

—in the final six races saw him rise to fifth place in the drivers' championship by the end of the season.

He signed to drive for the ART Grand Prix
ART Grand Prix
Lotus ART is a French motor racing team that competes in formula single-seaters in Europe. It was founded as ART Grand Prix in 1991.-Creation:...

 team during the 2009 season
2009 GP2 Series season
The 2009 GP2 Series season was the fifth GP2 Series season. The season consisted of twenty races at ten rounds, beginning on May 9 at the Circuit de Catalunya and finishing on September 20 at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. The Algarve circuit hosted its first GP2 weekend, and was the only...

. As part of the deal, he also joined the team for three rounds of the 2008–09 GP2 Asia Series season. Maldonado was often overshadowed by team-mate and 2009 champion Nico Hülkenberg, but Maldonado still finished sixth overall, helping ART to the teams title.

He competed in the first round of the 2009 Euroseries 3000 season
2009 Euroseries 3000 season
The 2009 Euroseries 3000 season began on May 16 at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal and finished at Monza in Italy on October 18 after 14 races....

 at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve commonly referred to as Portimao Circuit is a race circuit located in Portimão, Portugal. With a total cost of €195 million , the project includes a karting track, technology park, five-star hotel, sports complex and apartments.Construction was finished in...

 to gain experience of the track for the GP2 Series
GP2 Series
The GP2 Series, GP2 for short, is a form of open wheel motor racing introduced in 2005 following the discontinuation of the long-term Formula One feeder series, Formula 3000. The format was conceived by Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, while Ecclestone also has the rights to the name GP1...

 finale. Maldonado won the first race, having started from second position.

Maldonado drove for the Rapax Team in the 2010 GP2 Series season
2010 GP2 Series season
The 2010 GP2 Series season was the sixth GP2 Series season. The season began on 8 May at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain and ended on 14 November at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates after 20 races held at ten meetings....

 alongside Luiz Razia
Luiz Razia
Luiz Tadeu Razia Filho is a Brazilian racing driver.-Early career:Razia began his single seater career in 2005 in the South American Formula 3 championship. Driving for Dragão Motorsport, Razia finished sixth in the championship taking six podium finishes, including two race wins...

. He clinched the Championship in the penultimate event at Monza.

Formula One

Maldonado was a target for a Campos Meta seat in . Campos team principal Adrian Campos
Adrián Campos
Adrián Campos Suñer is a retired Formula One driver from Spain. He participated in 21 Grands Prix, debuting on April 12, 1987, without scoring a championship point. He later moved into team management, with more success...

 said that Bruno Senna
Bruno Senna
Bruno Senna Lalli is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver and the nephew of the late three-time Formula One world champion Ayrton Senna. His mother is Ayrton's older sister, Viviane. His father, Flávio Lalli, died in a motorcycle crash in 1996. He wears a slightly modified version of his uncle's...

's team mate could be Pedro de la Rosa
Pedro de la Rosa
Pedro Martínez de la Rosa is a Formula One driver who has participated in 87 Grands Prix for the Arrows, Jaguar, McLaren and Sauber teams, debuting on 7 March 1999, becoming one of very few drivers to score a point at his first race...

, Vitaly Petrov
Vitaly Petrov
Vitaly Alexandrovich Petrov is a Russian Formula One racing driver, currently driving for the Lotus Renault GP team. He is known as "Vyborg Rocket" in Russia. He is, to date, the only Russian to have competed in the Formula One World Championship....

 or Maldonado, but the team's financial problems and change of ownership changed the situation, and Karun Chandhok got the drive. It was then reported that Maldonado was close to signing a deal to be test and reserve driver for the Stefan Grand Prix
Stefan Grand Prix
Stefan Grand Prix is a proposed Serbian Formula One team named after its creator, Zoran Stefanović. The team was attempting to compete in the 2010 Formula One season. Its initial application was one of those rejected in July 2009 and although the team persisted in its attempts to gain an entry, it...

 team, which attempted to compete in the 2010 season following the withdrawal of the US F1 Team, which left a theoretical space for another new team. Stefan was barred from competing in the 2010 season.

Towards the end of the 2010 season, Maldonado was linked to the Williams
WilliamsF1
Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head...

 team for , replacing former GP2 team-mate Nico Hülkenberg alongside Rubens Barrichello
Rubens Barrichello
Rubens Gonçalves "Rubinho" Barrichello is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver. He is currently racing for Williams F1.Barrichello has scored the seventh highest points total in Formula One history. Barrichello drove for Ferrari from to , as Michael Schumacher's teammate, enjoying considerable...

. He took part in the end-of-season young driver test at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...

, driving for Williams and Hispania Racing (the rebranded Campos team). On November 15, Williams confirmed that Hülkenberg had been dropped from the team's 2011 line-up, and Maldonado was duly announced as his replacement on December 1. In addition to his on-track record, Maldonado also brings sponsorship from the Venezuelan government (through the state-owned PDVSA oil company) to the team.

2011–: Williams

Maldonado retired from his first race, the Australian Grand Prix
2011 Australian Grand Prix
The 2011 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 27 March 2011 at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne. It was the 76th race in the combined history of the Australian Grand Prix that dates back to the 100 Miles Road Race of 1928...

, due to transmission problems. In the , he failed to reach Q2 in qualifying and again dropped out of the race. He recorded his first finish in China
2011 Chinese Grand Prix
The 2011 Chinese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 17 April 2011 at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. It was the third round of the 2011 Formula One season...

, in 18th place. At the Spanish GP
2011 Spanish Grand Prix
The 2011 Spanish Grand Prix, formally the Formula 1 Gran Premio de España Santander 2011, was a Formula One motor race that was held on 22 May 2011 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain. It was the fifth round of the 2011 Formula One season...

 he reached Q3 for the first time, eventually qualifying in ninth position for the race. He made it into Q3 again in Monaco, qualifying eighth, and in the race was lying sixth with five laps remaining, when he was taken out of the race by Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, MBE is a British Formula One racing driver from England, currently racing for the McLaren team. He was the Formula One World Champion.Hamilton was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire...

. He spun out of a very wet race at Canada
2011 Canadian Grand Prix
The 2011 Canadian Grand Prix, formally the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada 2011, was the seventh round of the 2011 Formula One season and was held on 12 June 2011 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve...

. He then continued to have impressive qualifying pace with poor race pace at Britain
2011 British Grand Prix
The 2011 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race, held on 10 July 2011, at the Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, England, and won by Fernando Alonso....

, Germany
2011 German Grand Prix
The 2011 German Grand Prix, formally the Formula 1 Großer Preis Santander von Deutschland 2011, was a Formula One motor race that was held on 24 July 2011, at the Nürburgring in Nürburg, Germany. It was the tenth round of the 2011 Formula One season. The race, contested over 60 laps, was won...

, and Hungary
2011 Hungarian Grand Prix
The 2011 Hungarian Grand Prix, formally the XXVII Eni Magyar Nagydij, was a Formula One motor race that was held on 31 July 2011, at the Hungaroring in Mogyoród, near Budapest, Hungary It was the eleventh round of the 2011 Formula One season, and the 27th Hungarian Grand Prix...

, including a drive-through penalty at the latter for speeding in the pit lane. At the 2011 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 appeared to swipe across Hamilton as they headed down to Eau Rouge. Maldonado received a five-place grid penalty for his actions and Hamilton a reprimand. But in the race he scored his first point in Formula One with a 10th place finish.

Maldonado finished 19th in the Drivers' Championship and on 1 December 2011, it was confirmed that Maldoando will be retained by Williams for the 2012 season
2012 Formula One season
The 2012 Formula One season will be the 63rd FIA Formula One season. 2012 will be the penultimate year of the current 2.4 litre V8 engine configuration, before being replaced by more environmentally friendly 1.6 litre V6 turbo engines in 2014...

.

Complete GP2 Series results

(Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 DC Points
2007
2007 GP2 Series season
The 2007 GP2 Series season began on April 14 at Bahrain. Timo Glock was crowned series champion on September 30 after winning the final round at Valencia, with Brazilian Lucas di Grassi finishing second.-Season summary:...

Trident Racing
Trident Racing
Trident Racing is a motor racing team that competes in single seater formula racing. It was founded in 2006 in order to compete in the GP2 championship, which is Europe's highest-ranking single-seater formula below Formula One. GP2 functions as an official support championship to Formula One and...

BHR
FEA
Bahrain International Circuit
The Bahrain International Circuit is a motorsport venue opened in 2004 and used for drag racing, GP2 and the annual Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2004 Grand Prix was the first held in the Middle East. Since 2006, Australian V8 Supercar has been raced at the BIC and the V8 races are named as the Desert 400...


DNS
BHR
SPR
Bahrain International Circuit
The Bahrain International Circuit is a motorsport venue opened in 2004 and used for drag racing, GP2 and the annual Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2004 Grand Prix was the first held in the Middle East. Since 2006, Australian V8 Supercar has been raced at the BIC and the V8 races are named as the Desert 400...


16
ESP
FEA
Circuit de Catalunya
The Circuit de Catalunya is a racetrack in Montmeló, to the north of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. With long straights and a variety of corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is seen as an all-rounder circuit.-History:...


Ret
ESP
SPR
Circuit de Catalunya
The Circuit de Catalunya is a racetrack in Montmeló, to the north of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. With long straights and a variety of corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is seen as an all-rounder circuit.-History:...


17
MON
FEA
Monaco Grand Prix
The Monaco Grand Prix is a Formula One race held each year on the Circuit de Monaco. Run since 1929, it is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world, alongside the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans...


1
FRA
FEA
10
FRA
SPR
8
GBR
FEA
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...


7
GBR
SPR
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...


2
GER
FEA
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...


6
GER
SPR
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...


4
HUN
FEA
Hungaroring
The Hungaroring is a racing circuit in Mogyoród, near Budapest, Hungary where the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix is held. In 1986, it became the location of the first Formula One Grand Prix behind the Iron Curtain. Bernie Ecclestone wanted a race in the USSR, but a Hungarian friend of his...


Ret
HUN
SPR
Hungaroring
The Hungaroring is a racing circuit in Mogyoród, near Budapest, Hungary where the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix is held. In 1986, it became the location of the first Formula One Grand Prix behind the Iron Curtain. Bernie Ecclestone wanted a race in the USSR, but a Hungarian friend of his...


Ret
TUR
FEA
Istanbul Park
Istanbul Park , also known as the Istanbul Racing Circuit or initially Istanbul Otodrom, is a motor sports race track in Akfırat County east of Istanbul, Turkey. It was inaugurated on 21 August 2005...

TUR
SPR
Istanbul Park
Istanbul Park , also known as the Istanbul Racing Circuit or initially Istanbul Otodrom, is a motor sports race track in Akfırat County east of Istanbul, Turkey. It was inaugurated on 21 August 2005...

ITA
FEA
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....

ITA
SPR
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....

BEL
FEA
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race. It is also home to the all Volkswagen club event, 25 Hours of Spa, run by the Uniroyal Fun Cup. It is one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, mainly due to its...

BEL
SPR
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race. It is also home to the all Volkswagen club event, 25 Hours of Spa, run by the Uniroyal Fun Cup. It is one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, mainly due to its...

VAL
FEA
Circuit de Valencia
Circuit Ricardo Tormo, also known as Circuit de Valencia and officially named Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo, is a motorsport race track located in Cheste and built in 1999. It has a capacity of 120,000 spectators and seating for 60,000...

VAL
SPR
Circuit de Valencia
Circuit Ricardo Tormo, also known as Circuit de Valencia and officially named Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo, is a motorsport race track located in Cheste and built in 1999. It has a capacity of 120,000 spectators and seating for 60,000...

11th 25
2008
2008 GP2 Series season
The 2008 GP2 Series season was the fourth GP2 Series season. It began on April 26 at Barcelona, Spain and it finished on September 14 at Monza, Italy. This is the first season using a new car design to be used during the following 3 seasons. The series was won by Giorgio Pantano.-Season summary:4th...

Piquet Sports ESP
FEA

12
ESP
SPR
Ret
TUR
FEA
Ret
TUR
SPR
Ret
MON
FEA

2
MON
SPR
Ret
FRA
FEA
3
FRA
SPR
7
GBR
FEA
Ret
GBR
SPR
15
GER
FEA
6
GER
SPR
17
HUN
FEA

5
HUN
SPR
18
EUR
FEA

2
EUR
SPR
Ret
BEL
FEA
3
BEL
SPR

1
ITA
FEA

2
ITA
SPR
4
5th 60
2009
2009 GP2 Series season
The 2009 GP2 Series season was the fifth GP2 Series season. The season consisted of twenty races at ten rounds, beginning on May 9 at the Circuit de Catalunya and finishing on September 20 at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. The Algarve circuit hosted its first GP2 weekend, and was the only...

ART Grand Prix
ART Grand Prix
Lotus ART is a French motor racing team that competes in formula single-seaters in Europe. It was founded as ART Grand Prix in 1991.-Creation:...

ESP
FEA
2009 Spanish GP2 round
The 2009 Spanish GP2 round was a GP2 Series motor race held on May 9 and May 10, 2009 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain. It was the first race of the 2009 GP2 Season...


5
ESP
SPR
2009 Spanish GP2 round
The 2009 Spanish GP2 round was a GP2 Series motor race held on May 9 and May 10, 2009 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain. It was the first race of the 2009 GP2 Season...


6
MON
FEA
2009 Monaco GP2 round
The 2009 Monaco GP2 Race was a GP2 motor race held on May 22 and May 24, 2009 at the Circuit de Monaco on the streets of the country. It was the second race of the 2009 GP2 Season...


8
MON
SPR
2009 Monaco GP2 round
The 2009 Monaco GP2 Race was a GP2 motor race held on May 22 and May 24, 2009 at the Circuit de Monaco on the streets of the country. It was the second race of the 2009 GP2 Season...


1
TUR
FEA

6
TUR
SPR

5
GBR
FEA

7
GBR
SPR

1
GER
FEA

Ret
GER
SPR

9
HUN
FEA

4
HUN
SPR

Ret
VAL
FEA
DSQ
VAL
SPR

8
BEL
FEA
2009 Belgian GP2 round
The 2009 Belgian GP2 round was the seventh race of the 2009 GP2 Series season. It was held on August 29 and 30, 2009 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps at Spa, Belgium. The race was used as a support race to the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix...


4
BEL
SPR
2009 Belgian GP2 round
The 2009 Belgian GP2 round was the seventh race of the 2009 GP2 Series season. It was held on August 29 and 30, 2009 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps at Spa, Belgium. The race was used as a support race to the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix...


Ret
ITA
FEA

Ret
ITA
SPR

15
POR
FEA

11
POR
SPR

20
6th 36
2010
2010 GP2 Series season
The 2010 GP2 Series season was the sixth GP2 Series season. The season began on 8 May at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain and ended on 14 November at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates after 20 races held at ten meetings....

Rapax Team ESP
FEA
2010 Spanish GP2 round
The 2010 Spanish GP2 round was a GP2 Series motor race held on May 8 and May 9, 2010 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain. It was the first race of the 2010 GP2 Season. The race was used to support the 2010 Spanish Grand Prix. It is also the first weekend where GP2's feeder formula GP3...


6
ESP
SPR
2010 Spanish GP2 round
The 2010 Spanish GP2 round was a GP2 Series motor race held on May 8 and May 9, 2010 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain. It was the first race of the 2010 GP2 Season. The race was used to support the 2010 Spanish Grand Prix. It is also the first weekend where GP2's feeder formula GP3...


3
MON
FEA
2010 Monaco GP2 round
The 2010 Monaco GP2 round was a GP2 Series motor race held on May 14 and May 15, 2010 at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo, Monaco. It was the second race of the 2010 GP2 Season. The race was used to support the 2010 Monaco Grand Prix...


2
MON
SPR
2010 Monaco GP2 round
The 2010 Monaco GP2 round was a GP2 Series motor race held on May 14 and May 15, 2010 at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo, Monaco. It was the second race of the 2010 GP2 Season. The race was used to support the 2010 Monaco Grand Prix...


11
TUR
FEA
2010 Turkish GP2 round
The 2010 Turkish GP2 round was a GP2 Series motor race held on May 29 and May 30, 2010 at the Istanbul Park in Istanbul, Turkey. It was the third race of the 2010 GP2 Season and the second race of the 2010 GP3 Season...


1
TUR
SPR
2010 Turkish GP2 round
The 2010 Turkish GP2 round was a GP2 Series motor race held on May 29 and May 30, 2010 at the Istanbul Park in Istanbul, Turkey. It was the third race of the 2010 GP2 Season and the second race of the 2010 GP3 Season...


6
VAL
FEA
2010 Valencian GP2 round
The 2010 Valencian GP2 round was a GP2 Series motor race held on June 26 and June 27, 2010 at the Valencia Street Circuit in Valencia, Spain. It was the fourth round of the 2010 GP2 Season and the second race of the 2010 GP3 Season...


1
VAL
SPR
2010 Valencian GP2 round
The 2010 Valencian GP2 round was a GP2 Series motor race held on June 26 and June 27, 2010 at the Valencia Street Circuit in Valencia, Spain. It was the fourth round of the 2010 GP2 Season and the second race of the 2010 GP3 Season...


4
GBR
FEA
2010 British GP2 round
The 2010 British GP2 round was a GP2 Series motor race held on July 10 and 11, 2010 at Silverstone Circuit in Silverstone, Britain. It was the fifth round of the 2010 GP2 Season and the fourth round of the 2010 GP3 Season. The race was used to support the 2010 British Grand Prix. Jules Bianchi...


1
GBR
SPR
2010 British GP2 round
The 2010 British GP2 round was a GP2 Series motor race held on July 10 and 11, 2010 at Silverstone Circuit in Silverstone, Britain. It was the fifth round of the 2010 GP2 Season and the fourth round of the 2010 GP3 Season. The race was used to support the 2010 British Grand Prix. Jules Bianchi...


4
GER
FEA
2010 German GP2 round
The 2010 German GP2 round was a GP2 Series motor race held on July 24 and 25, 2010 at Hockenheimring in Hockenheim, Germany. It was the sixth round of the 2010 GP2 Season and the fifth round of the 2010 GP3 Season. The race was used to support the 2010 German Grand Prix...


1
GER
SPR
2010 German GP2 round
The 2010 German GP2 round was a GP2 Series motor race held on July 24 and 25, 2010 at Hockenheimring in Hockenheim, Germany. It was the sixth round of the 2010 GP2 Season and the fifth round of the 2010 GP3 Season. The race was used to support the 2010 German Grand Prix...


20
HUN
FEA
2010 Hungarian GP2 round
The 2010 Hungarian GP2 round was a GP2 Series motor race held on July 31 and August 1, 2010 at Hungaroring in Budapest, Hungary. It was the seventh round of the 2010 GP2 Season and the sixth round of the 2010 GP3 Season. The race was used to support the 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix...


1
HUN
SPR
DSQ
BEL
FEA
2010 Belgian GP2 round
The 2010 Belgian GP2 round is a GP2 Series motor race to be held on August 28 and 29, 2010 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Spa in Belgium. It will be the eighth round of the 2010 GP2 Season and the seventh round of the 2010 GP3 Season. The race will be used to support the 2010 Belgian Grand Prix...


1
BEL
SPR
2010 Belgian GP2 round
The 2010 Belgian GP2 round is a GP2 Series motor race to be held on August 28 and 29, 2010 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Spa in Belgium. It will be the eighth round of the 2010 GP2 Season and the seventh round of the 2010 GP3 Season. The race will be used to support the 2010 Belgian Grand Prix...


Ret
ITA
FEA
2010 Italian GP2 round
The 2010 Italian GP2 round is a GP2 Series motor race to be held on September 11 and 12, 2010 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, in Italy. It will be the ninth round of the 2010 GP2 Season and the final round of the 2010 GP3 Season...


Ret
ITA
SPR
2010 Italian GP2 round
The 2010 Italian GP2 round is a GP2 Series motor race to be held on September 11 and 12, 2010 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, in Italy. It will be the ninth round of the 2010 GP2 Season and the final round of the 2010 GP3 Season...


Ret
ABU
FEA
17
ABU
SPR
9
1st 87

Complete GP2 Asia Series results

(Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 DC Points
2008–09 ART Grand Prix
ART Grand Prix
Lotus ART is a French motor racing team that competes in formula single-seaters in Europe. It was founded as ART Grand Prix in 1991.-Creation:...

CHN
FEA
Shanghai International Circuit
The Shanghai International Circuit is a motor racing circuit, situated in the Jiading District of Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The circuit is best known as the venue for the annual Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, which was first hosted in 2004....

CHN
SPR
Shanghai International Circuit
The Shanghai International Circuit is a motor racing circuit, situated in the Jiading District of Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The circuit is best known as the venue for the annual Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, which was first hosted in 2004....

ABU
FEA
Dubai Autodrome
The Dubai Autodrome is an F.I.A. sanctioned 5.39 km motorsports circuit located in Dubailand, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.Opened in October 2004 with the final round of the 2004 Formula Renault V6 Eurocup season, Dubai Autodrome was the first part of the Dubai Motor City development that was...


Ret
ABU
SPR
Dubai Autodrome
The Dubai Autodrome is an F.I.A. sanctioned 5.39 km motorsports circuit located in Dubailand, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.Opened in October 2004 with the final round of the 2004 Formula Renault V6 Eurocup season, Dubai Autodrome was the first part of the Dubai Motor City development that was...


C
BHR1
FEA
Bahrain International Circuit
The Bahrain International Circuit is a motorsport venue opened in 2004 and used for drag racing, GP2 and the annual Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2004 Grand Prix was the first held in the Middle East. Since 2006, Australian V8 Supercar has been raced at the BIC and the V8 races are named as the Desert 400...

BHR1
SPR
Bahrain International Circuit
The Bahrain International Circuit is a motorsport venue opened in 2004 and used for drag racing, GP2 and the annual Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2004 Grand Prix was the first held in the Middle East. Since 2006, Australian V8 Supercar has been raced at the BIC and the V8 races are named as the Desert 400...

QAT
FEA
Losail International Circuit
Losail International Circuit is a motor racing circuit located just outside Doha in the Persian Gulf State of Qatar.Built in just under a year by 1,000 workers at the cost of $US 58 million, the track opened in 2004 to the inaugural Marlboro Grand Prix of Qatar, won by Sete Gibernau...

QAT
SPR
Losail International Circuit
Losail International Circuit is a motor racing circuit located just outside Doha in the Persian Gulf State of Qatar.Built in just under a year by 1,000 workers at the cost of $US 58 million, the track opened in 2004 to the inaugural Marlboro Grand Prix of Qatar, won by Sete Gibernau...

MYS
FEA
Sepang International Circuit
The Sepang International Circuit is a racing circuit in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia. It is located near Kuala Lumpur International Airport, approximately 60 km south of the capital city Kuala Lumpur. It is the venue used for the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix, A1 Grand Prix as well as the...


7
MYS
SPR
Sepang International Circuit
The Sepang International Circuit is a racing circuit in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia. It is located near Kuala Lumpur International Airport, approximately 60 km south of the capital city Kuala Lumpur. It is the venue used for the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix, A1 Grand Prix as well as the...


2
BHR2
FEA
Bahrain International Circuit
The Bahrain International Circuit is a motorsport venue opened in 2004 and used for drag racing, GP2 and the annual Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2004 Grand Prix was the first held in the Middle East. Since 2006, Australian V8 Supercar has been raced at the BIC and the V8 races are named as the Desert 400...


Ret
BHR2
SPR
Bahrain International Circuit
The Bahrain International Circuit is a motorsport venue opened in 2004 and used for drag racing, GP2 and the annual Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2004 Grand Prix was the first held in the Middle East. Since 2006, Australian V8 Supercar has been raced at the BIC and the V8 races are named as the Desert 400...


Ret
15th 7

Complete Formula One results

(Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 WDC Points
AT&T Williams
WilliamsF1
Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head...

Williams
WilliamsF1
Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head...

 FW33
Williams FW33
The Williams FW33 is a Formula One racing car developed by Williams F1 for the 2011 Formula One season. It is driven by Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello and 2010 GP2 Series champion and rookie driver Pastor Maldonado...

Cosworth
Cosworth
Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries...

 CA2011 2.4 V8
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....

AUS
2011 Australian Grand Prix
The 2011 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 27 March 2011 at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne. It was the 76th race in the combined history of the Australian Grand Prix that dates back to the 100 Miles Road Race of 1928...


Ret
MAL
2011 Malaysian Grand Prix
The 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 10 April 2011 at the Sepang International Circuit in Selangor, Malaysia. It was the second round of the 2011 Formula One season. The race, contested over 56 laps, was won by Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel after starting from...


Ret
CHN
2011 Chinese Grand Prix
The 2011 Chinese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 17 April 2011 at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. It was the third round of the 2011 Formula One season...


18
TUR
2011 Turkish Grand Prix
The 2011 Turkish Grand Prix, formally the 2011 Formula 1 DHL Turkish Grand Prix, was a Formula One motor race held on 8 May 2011 at Istanbul Park in Istanbul, Turkey. It was the fourth round of the 2011 Formula One season. The race, contested over 58 laps, was won by the championship leader,...


17
ESP
2011 Spanish Grand Prix
The 2011 Spanish Grand Prix, formally the Formula 1 Gran Premio de España Santander 2011, was a Formula One motor race that was held on 22 May 2011 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain. It was the fifth round of the 2011 Formula One season...


15
MON
2011 Monaco Grand Prix
The 2011 Monaco Grand Prix, formally the Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco 2011, was held on 29 May 2011 at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Sixth round of the 2011 Formula One season, the 78 lap race was won by the championship leader, Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel who started from...


18
CAN
2011 Canadian Grand Prix
The 2011 Canadian Grand Prix, formally the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada 2011, was the seventh round of the 2011 Formula One season and was held on 12 June 2011 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve...


Ret
EUR
2011 European Grand Prix
The 2011 European Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Valencia Street Circuit in Valencia, Spain on 26 June 2011. The race, which was the eighth round of the 2011 Formula One season, was won by defending world drivers' champion and championship leader Sebastian Vettel, who was...


18
GBR
2011 British Grand Prix
The 2011 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race, held on 10 July 2011, at the Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, England, and won by Fernando Alonso....


14
GER
2011 German Grand Prix
The 2011 German Grand Prix, formally the Formula 1 Großer Preis Santander von Deutschland 2011, was a Formula One motor race that was held on 24 July 2011, at the Nürburgring in Nürburg, Germany. It was the tenth round of the 2011 Formula One season. The race, contested over 60 laps, was won...


14
HUN
2011 Hungarian Grand Prix
The 2011 Hungarian Grand Prix, formally the XXVII Eni Magyar Nagydij, was a Formula One motor race that was held on 31 July 2011, at the Hungaroring in Mogyoród, near Budapest, Hungary It was the eleventh round of the 2011 Formula One season, and the 27th Hungarian Grand Prix...


16
BEL
2011 Belgian Grand Prix
The 2011 Belgian Grand Prix, formally the 2011 Formula 1 Shell Belgian Grand Prix, was a Formula One motor race that was held on 28 August 2011, at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Spa, Belgium. It was the twelfth round of the 2011 Formula One season, and the 67th Belgian Grand Prix to be held...


10
ITA
2011 Italian Grand Prix
The 2011 Italian Grand Prix, formally known as the 2011 Gran Premio Santander d'Italia, was a Formula One motor race that was held on 11 September 2011 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy. It was the thirteenth round of the 2011 Formula One season, and was also the sixtieth time the Italian...


11
SIN
2011 Singapore Grand Prix
The 2011 Singapore Grand Prix, formally the 2011 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix, was a Formula One motor race that was held on 25 September 2011 at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore. It was the fourteenth round of the 2011 Formula One season, and the twelfth time the Singapore...


11
JPN
2011 Japanese Grand Prix
The 2011 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that was held on 9 October 2011 at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, Japan. It was the fifteenth round of the 2011 Formula One season, and the thirty-eighth time the Japanese Grand Prix had been held...


14
KOR
2011 Korean Grand Prix
The 2011 Korean Grand Prix, formally the 2011 Formula 1 Korean Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that was held on 16 October 2011 at the Korean International Circuit in Yeongam, South Jeolla, South Korea...


Ret
IND
2011 Indian Grand Prix
The 2011 Indian Grand Prix, formally the 2011 Formula 1 Airtel Grand Prix of India, was a Formula One motor race that was held on 30 October 2011 at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India...


Ret
ABU
2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
The 2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the eighteenth and penultimate round of the 2011 Formula One season. It was held on 13 November 2011 at the Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island, a man-made island on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. It was the third running of the Abu Dhabi...


14
BRA
2011 Brazilian Grand Prix
The 2011 Brazilian Grand Prix, formally the Formula 1 Grande Prêmio Petrobras do Brasil 2011 was the ninteenth and final round of the 2011 Formula One season...


Ret
19th 1

Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance.

Politics

Maldonado is an outspoken political figure, which is strange in the racing world. He considers himself a socialist and is a friend of Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...

n president Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...

.

External links

  • Official site
  • Pastor Maldonado in Twitter
    Twitter
    Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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