MAY 18, 2012

Maldonado targets Monaco repeat

Following the dramatic on and off track events in Barcelona, Spanish GP winner Pastor Maldonado has been visiting the troops at Williams HQ in Grove and looking ahead:

Following the dramatic on and off track events in Barcelona, Spanish GP winner Pastor Maldonado has been visiting the troops at Williams HQ in Grove and looking ahead:

Q: What was the atmosphere like at the factory?

Everybody I met was congratulating me and there seems to be a lot of optimism about what we can achieve this season. We had a gathering with all the people in the factory to celebrate, which allowed me to thank them for their hard work.

Q: Have you a realistic chance of winning at Monaco?®

We will certainly do our best. Our package is definitely getting better and although we don't have the quickest car, we are improving very quickly. I have always liked Monaco and I am certainly full of confidence.

Q: What has caused such a dramatic up-turn in performance?®

We have a new technical team and they seem to be making a very positive impact already. I also have more experience now compared to last year and this is certainly helping. I don't think there's one single thing that has led us to improve, but a number of little changes that when put together have made us more competitive.

Q: Did you learn lessons from crashing on the last lap in Melbourne?

In Melbourne I was pushing very hard to get as many points as possible and perhaps pushed a little too hard. After last year the team was desperate for a strong start to the season and I wanted as many points as possible. I learnt from that and the experience certainly made me a stronger driver in Barcelona. Fernando is a tough competitor with a lot of talent, so it was a tough battle, but this time I came out on top!

Q: Some have called you a pay driver. Have you answered that?

I'm very lucky to have such amazing support from Venezuela. The finances I can bring have helped me reach Formula One but also help develop the car and that is crucial in being successful. I don't focus on these comments, preferring to do my talking on the track and do the best job I can for the team. Hopefully my performance in Spain has shown that I have the talent to be one of the best drivers.

Q: Is the unpredictability of five winners in five races good for F1?

This has been one of the most competitive seasons we've seen in many years and to have such a strong level of competition between the teams and drivers is a good thing in my opinion. It is boring for fans when one driver dominates. This season feels a bit like GP2, with the driver able to play a big part in the performance of the car. The tyres also allow teams to play around with different strategies so there is always the opportunity to move up if you take a gamble. We have worked hard on getting our tyres to perform well and this was certainly the case in Spain, where I could do a longer final stint than others.