Source: Williams
Williams F1 confirmed on Wednesday that Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado would contest the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship for the AT&T Williams team.
The appointment finalises the team’s line up for next year following confirmation in November that Rubens Barrichello will remain with the British squad for a further season.
Maldonado’s promotion into the pinnacle of motorsport follows an impressive 2010 campaign in the GP2 championship in which he was crowned champion and became the only driver to have ever won six successive feature races in a single season.
The Venezuelan also comes to the team with nearly 2,000km of F1 testing mileage in hand having driven all four of the Abu Dhabi test days.
Maldonado will make his debut in the team’s 2011 race car, the Williams Cosworth FW33, in February’s winter test programme.
The 2011 season will be the first time in nearly thirty years that a Venezuelan has driven a Formula One car. The last one was motorcycle great Johnny Cecotto in 1984 who drove for the Toleman team alongside a rookie named Ayrton Senna.
Williams F1 confirmed on Wednesday that Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado would contest the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship for the AT&T Williams team.
The appointment finalises the team’s line up for next year following confirmation in November that Rubens Barrichello will remain with the British squad for a further season.
Maldonado’s promotion into the pinnacle of motorsport follows an impressive 2010 campaign in the GP2 championship in which he was crowned champion and became the only driver to have ever won six successive feature races in a single season.
The Venezuelan also comes to the team with nearly 2,000km of F1 testing mileage in hand having driven all four of the Abu Dhabi test days.
Maldonado will make his debut in the team’s 2011 race car, the Williams Cosworth FW33, in February’s winter test programme.
The 2011 season will be the first time in nearly thirty years that a Venezuelan has driven a Formula One car. The last one was motorcycle great Johnny Cecotto in 1984 who drove for the Toleman team alongside a rookie named Ayrton Senna.