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.
