Last Sunday proved that Pastor Maldonado is no mere ‘pay driver’.

“If he was a fool, he would not be with us, no matter how much money he brings,” Sir Frank Williams is quoted by Brazil’s Globo Esporte.

Venezuelan Maldonado, whose links to the state owned oil company PDVSA and president Hugo Chavez controversially deliver many millions to Williams’ Oxfordshire based team, became F1′s fifth different winner of 2012 last weekend in Spain.

It has helped him to shake off the ‘pay driver’ insult, Williams insisting he is now a potential world champion instead.

“Without a doubt. He is very fast and makes no mistakes,” the newly 70-year-old Briton said.

Williams does, however, acknowledge that Maldonado’s money was a key factor in the decision to sign him.

“Yes, it was to some extent,” he said. “I don’t deny that. But he’s also a real driver. He fully deserves to be on the team, with or without money.

“The truth is that if you don’t have money, you don’t get to be in formula one,” added Williams.

Team shareholder Toto Wolff agrees: “If you want to race in GP2, you need a few million pounds. So, the drivers need not only to be fast and talented, but able to attract the sponsors.

“So let’s forget this thing about ‘pay drivers’,” he insisted.

Triple world champion Nelson Piquet, however, has some lingering doubts.

He ran Maldonado in his own GP2 team some years ago, and this week recalled a driver who was often “too aggressive” and made too many mistakes.

“We’re not talking about a guy who shone in his youth, like Nico Rosberg,” said the famous Brazilian, “or someone like Lewis Hamilton, who always had everything he needed thanks to Ron Dennis.

“In GP2, when you don’t stand out in your second year, you begin to be doubted. In Maldonado’s case, he only shone in his fourth year.

“Perhaps because of this he only made it to formula one as a paying driver, without having anything special, apparently. He was perceived as just a good pilot, but clearly no Alonso.

“Now he was at the right place at the right time but he still managed to beat Alonso in Spain as well as another world champion, Kimi (Raikkonen). So hats off to him.”

Jos Verstappen has been arrested in his native Netherlands.
The former Benetton, Stewart and Minardi driver turned himself into police after fleeing the scene following an incident involving his 24-year-old ex-girlfriend, according to Flemish newspaper De Standaard.

Dutch police confirmed the arrest of a 39-year-old man after an incident in the southeastern city Roermond.

Unconfirmed media reports say Verstappen deliberately struck his former girlfriend – who was taken by ambulance to hospital with heavy bruises and abrasions – with a car.

Verstappen was previously accused of beating his girlfriend.

“It’s definitely not the first time he does this,” the unnamed woman told RTL television. “I think now I need to go and hide — I don’t know what to expect now when he is released.”

In 2008, Verstappen was fined and sentenced to three months suspended jail time over an assault case involving his ex-wife.

And more than ten years ago, he was convicted of assault after fracturing a man’s skull at a kart track.

Verstappen contested over 100 grands prix between 1994 and 2003.

Pastor Maldonado is confident he will have a better second season in formula one.
With his Venezuelan backing, the 26-year-old made his grand prix debut as the reigning GP2 champion this year, but scored only one of Williams’ 5 points.

He is staying with the famous British team in 2012.

“I trust the team because it is impossible to be worse than this year,” Maldonado told Brazil’s Totalrace.

“I believe that was the worst position for a rookie (to be in), when nothing works, especially in the first year (as) you have to learn many things.

“Nevertheless, I defended myself well, even against Rubens (Barrichello). It certainly was a year of learning.”

Williams, indeed, had a disastrous season, finishing 36 points behind the next-worst team Toro Rosso and ahead only of the non-points scoring three newest teams.

“I’m sure we will improve,” said Maldonado, “we have worked really hard to grow as a team.”

A fundamental change for 2012 is the new technical boss Mike Coughlan, the former McLaren chief designer who was sacked a few years ago amid the ‘liegate’ scandal.

He replaces the McLaren-bound Sam Michael, Williams’ long-time technical director.

“I hope we have a better car, one that is more competitive so that we can always fight for points and higher positions,” said Maldonado.

Rumours Nico Rosberg could be flirting with a switch to Ferrari are gaining strength this week.
A source triggered the speculation by telling the Cologne publication Express that the 26-year-old is “thinking about” the famous Italian team.

Mercedes’ Rosberg, however, has a contract for 2012, as does Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa.

But Bild newspaper reports that Rosberg “has a clause that allows him an early termination under certain circumstances”.

After India, Rosberg openly criticised his race strategy that appeared to have favoured teammate Michael Schumacher.

At the same time, Express reports that Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo was dismayed with Massa’s performance in India, featuring a crash with Lewis Hamilton and two near-identical mistakes that damaged his suspension.

“In the week before India, Nico was in Maranello,” another source is quoted as revealing. “Ferrari wants to have him.”

When asked if he will be at Mercedes next year, Rosberg answered: “I don’t want to say anything about it.

“We are having discussions about a long-term cooperation.”

Might those discussions be with Ferrari as well? Eddie Jordan, a former team boss and now British television pundit, thinks Massa should be worried.

“He needs to be careful because there are many talents out there,” he is quoted by Austria’s laola1.

“He does have a contract but in formula one you can never be sure.”

After the battle with his teammate and rival views Lorenzo in Motegi, Valentino Rossi seems to have recovered the enamel and the motivation to do well. His is the best time at the end of the first free practice session on the track at Sepang, with the pilot of Tavullia that marked a best lap of 2’02 .724.

Signals from the shoulder seem more positive, so that the “Doctor” will focus on tomorrow to find a rhythm important race, and try to get an important front row in the grid. The feeling with the bike is excellent, and this is a sign that the difference at this moment is making the nine-time world champion.

“It ‘s been another good start for us here,”says Valentino Rossi. “We found a good set-up right now. I feel really comfortable on my bike, and until now, the shoulder seems fine.

The track is quite dirty, but will improve and I really like racing at this track, is one of my favorites and are always happy to get on here. We are confident that we can improve tomorrow and be in good shape that allows us to obtain the first row tomorrow afternoon. “

After the pole position Andrea Dovizioso was expected to challenge for victory at Motegi. In fact, the pilot had to Forli compares with Casey Stoner in form, the fast race pace so as to close with a good lead at the finish line. For the pilot of the HRC is still a good race and a second place is important that the 250th podium of the Repsol Honda team in MotoGP.

“Today I gave 100% all race and my time and Stoner were very consistent and competitive. At first Casey was faster when the tires were not warm and right there I knew it would be difficult to fight with him. I do not know what has been invented, but today was really fast, incredibly, there were two or three points of the track where he had always something more than me.

At the end I almost fall, so I preferred not to risk taking the second position. It ‘was a bit disappointing because I wanted to win and I thought it was possible, but I am happy to be back on the podium in more along Stoner I figured out how to make changes to the electronics to be faster in the last phase of the race.

I still want to thank the team for this achievement is the fruit of their work and the HRC. Get this podium in the home of the Honda is definitely a reason to be happy. “

Once you arrive on Sunday, willy-nilly, here again the domain of Jorge Lorenzo. The pilot put on display in the Majorcan Today the usual safety and precision driving, which led him to obtain the seventh hit of the season, before the public in Brno Forget the problems of yesterday, including fall, “Porfuera” was a hammer for all rounds played, gradually bending resistance of the only rider able to keep up in the early laps, or compatriot Dani Pedrosa.

This happened even closer to the Fiat Yamaha rider to finish both heard, or the drivers’ title at end of season: the # 99 for this reason should bring out the best in tests scheduled for tomorrow, to have the inertia to continue to do it right this road win.

“After the problems we had yesterday and the fall,” says Jorge Lorenzo “I did not expect this today. I would be very much harder. Once the lead I thought Dani would have stayed with me, I knew it was my time and I tried to push as much as possible. I thought I would try to pass me but I felt at ease, I pushed hard and gradually I disconnected.

I know I said that I headed for the championship, and it is still true, but when there is a chance to win if you take it! Get my seventh victory in a season is fantastic, thanks to all my tem for such a good job after struggling yesterday. Tomorrow we have an important test, which I hope will help us in the last part of the season and then you go to Indianapolis, a circuit that I love. “

Michael Schumacher is probably the pilot, in which demand and reality currently the most gape. But the world champion is known for his strength of will – that’s why he has checked off the 2010 season as well as his Mercedes racing team already and concentrate fully on the coming year.

Before that, however, must be analyzed why the comeback season, the 41-year-olds went so far as disappointing. Schumacher for his own theories. “You simply must emphasize that we got this car down into the hands”, he explains that he and team mate Nico Rosberg on the development work as a team newcomers had little impact. “This is practically a relic of what last year was developed. And there are quite a few compromises that we must respond to driver.”
Thus, Schumacher refers primarily to the fact that his predecessor Jenson Button preferred a much understeer car, he is even better but with a tendency to oversteer cope. But that’s not enough: “The tires are of course a big issue. But the fact is that the car is not at all in harmony – not with the tires, even with the drivers. So it is to invest all the time is that the next years is not the case. ”

2010 Schumacher is two-thirds of the season knocked off at the ninth World Cup standing. missing on championship leader Mark Webber him 123, to team-mate Rosberg 56 meters. “If you look at the points table, then we must certainly not be satisfied,” Schumacher is too open. However, he doubts not on his own performance: “There are good reasons why the difference is relatively large. The fact is that I feel completely at home. We are on the right track to compete again next year.”

Over the past four races had Sebastian Vettel Mark Webber from his teammates were beaten in qualifying at the European Grand Prix in Valencia could fight back the German. Accordingly, happily presented itself the Red Bull pilot.

“In the last few races we had a good run on Saturday, so it is a good result,” said Vettel, who was quicker to just 0.075 seconds as his Australian team-mate.

“These lines do not, Canada and here in Valencia are among those, usually our strongest. It is good for this reason that we have set the car on the pole. Our speed looks good.”
A hair of the driver from Heppenheim would have to hire again later: “Until the end it was a tight qualifying session. On the first attempt I had a huge shock moment in the first sector. I knew I was in the second test everything on must set a card, and it worked. ”

After the qualy for once again successfully ran Vettel now looks optimistic for the race: “To this day I’m happy. It was out there very difficult, especially since we installed the F-shaft, and many other things back to the car have. Some mechanics had only an hour of sleep. ”
In the first race with the F-bay system says Vettel, for the racers expect a benefit, even if this was enormous: “He’s probably not too big, but we feel the difference. We see how much so that McLaren rectified by. We get on each round and at every attempt. ”

“Yesterday we were not quite so happy, but overnight we have taken another step forward. We sat in front of the monitors to see how we can optimize and improve the system. Also, thanks to this circumstance we find ourselves for tomorrow’s race in a good position. “

The qualification of the Grand Prix of Europe in Valencia gave one or the other team a surprise – it was a good or bad. Because compared to the last free practice session this morning there was held under ideal weather conditions Zeitenfahren some major shifts.

The pole position could be after a long losing streak of four races Sebastian Vettel. The German realized a personal best of 1:37.587 minutes. Secured second place team mate Mark Webber. Lewis Hamilton was third in the McLaren-Mercedes.
In the fourth place followed by Fernando Alonso in a Ferrari ahead of team-mate Felipe Massa, Robert Kubica (Renault), Jenson Button (Team McLaren Mercedes), the two Williams drivers Nicolette Hülkenberg and Rubens Barrichello – identical with time – and Vitaly Petrov (Renault)

After the first qualifying part of the seven slowest pilots were ruled out: Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber), Lucas di Grassi and Timo Glock (both Virgin), Karun Chandhok and Bruno Senna (both HRT).

After the second pass the Zeitenfahren for the following driver had run ahead of Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso), Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), Adrian Sutil and Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India), Michael Schumacher (Mercedes), Pedro de la Rosa (Sauber) and Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso).

Williams was able to improve the FW32 in recent days and weeks ahead. In Valencia again to some new parts will be bolted to the car. Is still uncertain is the use of the F-Duct. Fix seems that the system that provides more speed on the straight line is tested in the training sessions. After deciding on a bet in the race. Williams had the system already in use in Shanghai and Barcelona.

With or without F-Duct, the Williams drivers expect from the street circuit in the port of Valencia a good chance. Rubens Barrichello remembers only too happy to return to the last season. “I have fond memories of Valencia. I have won the race here last year, it was my tenth race win to date. He was also outstanding on the ground because he me brought back into the title race,” said the Brazilian.
Just hours before the triumph of the veterans had Nico Hulkenberg his finest hour. Namely, he won the GP2 sprint race. “Valencia is a great track that I like very much. I know them very well from the GP2 and I am already bringing them to drive the FW32, since I feel very comfortable here. As in Monaco and Montreal everywhere walls, but the track is slightly wider, at least I like the challenge, “says the GP2 champion last season.

The Pilotenduo is convinced that the new developments have made their cars faster. “We are coming closer and closer to the top ten, as we showed in qualifying in Montreal. But we must keep up the pressure and take out a few tenths so we end up constantly in the top ten,” says Hulkenberg. Barrichello praises even the least seasoned of engine partner criticism: “Cosworth is making good progress in improving the durability.” His goals for Valencia has formulated the veteran clear: “I will enter into Q3 and points.”

The Technical Director Sam Michael knows the challenge to be made on the car: “At the beginning, the way only little grip. The numerous combinations of corners provide for the tires a not insignificant challenge by the coastal location can also always pay breezes, the affect the balance of the car. ” Michael also formulated the objectives for the weekend clear: “We have in the two previous races ever run in points, which is also the target for this time”

Before the race on the Ile Notre Dame in Montreal to face the teams on two main questions: Is it early in the race to a safety car period? Which tires should start the race? Sam Michael, Technical Director of the Williams team, explains his thoughts, which he makes in this regard before the clock start at 18 GMT.

“We have not yet decided whether we will start on the hard or soft compound,” said Michael. “There are two different approaches. If one assumes that there will be in the early stages of the race a Safety Car period, take the soft tires, to have used them and they runterzubekommen again.”
“If one does not believe that it is not the safety car comes out, you might want to be on the hard compound to be able to drive around for two long stints,” said Michael further. The Grand Prix of Canada would be one way or another for at least a two-stop race, because you could not possibly survive due to high tire wear, with only one tire change the distance of 70 laps.

Williams is with Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg the two best-placed driver who may choose their tires before the race, free. Michael would therefore not exclude that we could possibly send its pilots with different strategies in the race to be prepared for all eventualities.
But a look into the past leaving Michael to assume that safety car driver Bernd will turn out Mayländer with high probability during the race. “The likelihood of a safety car deployment is very high. It was always like that. We had been in 19 races Safety Car periods, sometimes up to four per race.”

There are many indications that this in this year’s race will hardly be otherwise. “Now we have six more cars on the grid and to two types of tires that will be hard to drive due to the strong graining – all of which increases the probability of safety car interventions,” said Michael concludes.

The qualification for the Grand Prix of Canada in Montreal was a real thriller – in the end Lewis Hamilton was in a time of 1:15.105 minutes of the winners. The McLaren-Mercedes drivers succeeded thus became the first driver to finish the series pole position of Red Bull, which in all seven races were previously in front.

Mark Webber placed in the Red Bull – who put on hard tires – in second place ahead of team mate Sebastian Vettel. Behind: Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Jenson Button in the second McLaren-Mercedes, Vitantonio Liuzzi in the Force India, Felipe Massa in a Ferrari, Robert Kubica in a Renault, Adrian Sutil in the Force India and Nico Rosberg in a Mercedes.
At the end of the first part of qualifying parted, as always the slowest seven drivers: Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber), Jarno Trulli (Lotus), Timo Glock (Virgin), Bruno Senna (HRT), Lucas Grassi (Virgin) and Karun Chandhok ( HRT).

After the second round were the following pilots watch: Rubens Barrichello, Nico Hulkenberg (both Williams), Michael Schumacher (Mercedes), Vitaly Petrov (Renault), Sebastien Buemi, Jaime Alguersuari (both Toro Rosso) and Pedro de la Rosa (Sauber) .

For Timo Glock, the trip paid to Montreal in the past for ever. The 28 year-old made his debut in 2004 for Jordan as a substitute pilot for Giorgio Pantano. In the qualifying Glock was only one place behind team-mate Nick Heidfeld. In the race, he captured his seventh first championship points and thus belongs to a small group of riders, who succeeded, at the debut. In 2005 Glock would have won by a hair, the race of the Champ Car Series at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The last appearance in 2008 conquered the German his first points for Toyota.

The presence at the moment does not look rosy. The Virgin was too slow on Friday and was even beaten by HRT. Points lie outside the range, but with a crazy race and the happiness could Montréal for the weekend, Glock nor the conciliatory. “Every time I’ve driven in Canada, is something special happened in the race,” says Glock recalls in an interview with ‘Autosport’. “Hopefully it will be another crazy weekend and we can benefit from it.”
Ideally, the new team plays the fight for third place from 19th Nevertheless, it is difficult to motivate Glock not himself, “I just hide from the 20 cars ahead of me. I have never been so hard fought for a 19th place as recently in Turkey. The battle to win under new team is our only option get a sense of victory. If you’re not even a goal, you will lose power. The duel with Lotus is a way to motivate yourself. ”

Glock only twice in the seven races so far has seen the checkered flag. Despite the difficult season, he is convinced of Virgin: “I am very satisfied. It’s easy to say that I or anyone at Renault would have to wait still can, but you never know what happened, so I made the right decision. Virgin developed in the right direction. The problem is that you only see number 20 and nothing more. We have, however, improved a lot. ”
“The car is more difficult to drive than the Toyota is missing. Especially in medium and slow corners us contact pressure. Then we placed our focus.” It can also bring his experience from Glock recent years. “In discussions I am now a little more aggressive. The team can respond very well, but unfortunately we have not had the capacity as Toyota, where new parts were produced very quickly.”

Even with his former employers after two years, many ideas in the Glock-2010s construction of the model incorporated. The 28-year-old has seen the Toyota for the current season and is convinced of the merits: “The car would have been very fast. Everyone laughed when I said that we want to fight for the title. We were constantly in the top 5 been. But unfortunately the car is never driven on the track. It is a pity, but that was precisely the decision. There were few details on the car, where I could see my signature significantly. It would have been nice, the fruit of hard work to harvest. ”
(TotalMotorSport)

Robert Kubica and Montreal – that’s a Hochschaubahn: 2007 pilot of the accident, the then BMW Sauber F1 Team at the hairpin difficult, but escaped miraculously with minor injuries. A year later he led a complete surprise double victory of his team ahead of Nick Heidfeld – it was the only win for the Bavarians in the premier class. Last year there was no race in Montreal – Kubica this year but returns to the Ile de Notre Dame. “The Grand Prix of Canada is something like my destiny race,” says the poles ‘Auto Bild motorsport’.

And so he feels: This year a sensation in the air – “with little luck.” Because: “The course our car will be. It’s fast on the straights and is as wonderfully out of slow corners. It is these properties are required in Montreal.” The strength in tight corners is based on the small wheel base of the Renault R30 – no current Formula 1 racing car can compete in this discipline with Kubica’s car. It showed the team had in Monaco, where the 25-year-old is the sharpest of the superior competitor Red Bull pilot was.

And although the Renault engine has a power deficit, Kubica and Vitaly Petrov scores are in the top speed is always at the front – reason is the low air resistance of the R30. Moreover, the French have for the Grand Prix of Canada, a secret weapon in the quiver: the first time is given to an in-house interpretation of the F-shaft system, which turned out on the long straights of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve as a great advantage. Now the only question is whether the system works right away, or if you have it like Red Bull in Turkey to expand after the first test.

That will leave Robert Kubica after just one season, the team Renault is unlikely. After Felipe Massa contract extension with Ferrari in Maranello in 2012 the door is closed. Even if the pole for 2011 is not linked to Renault, there are few other enticing options. This Renault boss Eric Boullier had managed to retain its number-one pilots in 2011 and to his team. The Luxembourg wants to build the Renault racing team to head the Polish pilots around.

(MotorSportsTotal)