Moody Maldonado blamed again as he seeks 'to buy' 2014 seat

Image
AFP Austin
Last Updated : Nov 18 2013 | 8:37 PM IST
Pastor Maldonado's future in Formula One was the subject of renewed conjecture on Monday following his high-speed collision with Adrian Sutil in Sunday's United States Grand Prix.
The moody Venezuelan had already stirred up discussion over his on-track value to a team - despite bringing 40 million dollars in sponsorship with him - after accusing Williams of sabotage on Saturday.
He is leaving Williams to be replaced by incoming Brazilian Felipe Massa, released by Ferrari, next season and is currently linked with both the Lotus and Sauber outfits for 2014.
With a massive sponsorship deal to offer, he is effectively in a position to buy one of the remaining available seats on next season's grid despite a reputation as an often dangerous driver.
That reputation, once tarnished by a series of collisions and rows, took a new blow when he was accused of steering his Williams into Sutil's Force India on the back straight during the opening lap.
The collision sent the German into the barriers, wrecking his car and ending his race.
"On a very big straight, with a lot of space left and right, for some reason I got a hit on the left tyre in the middle of the straight and lost the car," said Sutil afterwards.
"It was very shocking. You'd never believe something like that, but it happened. There was no reason to be so close. I was on my line and I didn't do anything different.
"I was staying straight with my steering wheel and to the left and right there was a lot of space. I don't understand why someone then hits you. There's like an emergency area around him -- you have to give room for two cars, not just one....
"What happened today could have ended differently. It was around 300 kph, touching on the rear tyre -- I could have rolled. There were still five or six behind. We want to get out of these cars alive -- you need to think a little bit sometimes.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Nov 18 2013 | 8:37 PM IST

Next Story