A favourite for victory this weekend, Pastor Maldonado is reportedly lucky to be gearing up to race in the Principality at all.

Bild newspaper recalls that the Venezuelan, who defied his ‘pay driver’ critics by winning for Williams in Spain two weeks ago, was actually banned after an horror incident on the streets of Monte Carlo seven years ago.

Racing in the Renault World Series in 2005, the then 25-year-old ignored yellow flags before striking and severely injuring a marshal.

Organisers of the Monaco grand prix reacted by banning Maldonado from the street circuit for life.

Germany’s Bild revealed that Maldonado’s wealthy father intervened, promising to pay for the marshal’s recovery and rehabilitation from a broken back.

That intervention saved Maldonado’s future formula one career, as no team would hire a regular driver that cannot participate in the sport’s most famous race.

Maldonado is therefore a favourite for victory this weekend, with his Williams now acknowledged as arguably the best in the entire field when it comes to slow-speed traction.

And in his four seasons of GP2 between 2007 and 2010, Maldonado finished on the podium each time, winning and achieving pole position twice. In 2006, he won in Formula Renault.

Last year, in qualifying for his first Monaco grand prix, he qualified his then struggling Williams in eighth place, comfortably ahead of Rubens Barrichello.

“He is very good at Monaco,” agreed Barrichello.

In the 2011 race, Maldonado was fighting for fifth when he crashed with Lewis Hamilton.

“If the last sector in Barcelona is the marker, then the Williams will be unbeatable in Monte Carlo,” Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport quotes Dr Helmut Marko as saying.

The breakthrough success in Barcelona has piqued the interest of Maldonado’s native Venezuela, having not had an F1 points scorer since the ignominious Johnny Cecotto in 1983.

“My country will be following every second of the next race,” Maldonado is quoted by O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper.

“I love street circuits, this one in particular. My style of driving fits perfectly with Monaco. I am ready to get another great result.”

 Kimi Raikkonen’s former teammate has admitted he was surprised when the 2007 world champion decided to return this year to formula one.
Scottish veteran David Coulthard shared the McLaren garage with the now 32-year-old Finn seven years ago.

He told Russia’s Championat: “When the rumours began, I thought it would never happen.

“I believed he was really enjoying competing in rallying and had decided to end his formula one career,” said Coulthard.

The former McLaren and Red Bull driver, however, clarified that he is supportive of Raikkonen’s return.

“I am in favour (of it),” he said, “and the others are not going to have it easy because they are going to be proving their abilities against six world champions.”

And Raikkonen, Coulthard added, is one of the best.

“Last year I was with Kimi at the Red Bull Ring with Sebastian Vettel and a few others. We competed together in a variety of cars and bikes, and Kimi was quick in all of them.

“He’s a real natural talent,” he said.

Robert Kubica has given his first interview since suffering horrific injuries last Sunday in a rally crash.

La Gazzetta dello Sport’s Pino Allievi spoke in Italian with Renault’s Polish driver, as the 26-year-old vowed to “come back stronger than before”.

“I don’t remember anything about the accident, but these things make you stronger,” said Kubica. “I’m sorry to my mother.”

Referring to his worst injury – his right hand that was almost severed by armco barrier that penetrated his Skoda Fabia rally car – he revealed: “The fingers work, the arm as well.

“But only after working really hard will I know for sure.”

Veteran journalist Allievi said Kubica’s face was relaxed as he spoke with determination about returning to F1.

“I’ll be stronger as a driver, in the head. I have to return this year. My right arm feels better now than when I was hit by a drunk seven years ago,” said Kubica.

He spoke about his passion for rallying.

“It’s a tough workout, severe, for F1 it helps with concentration … whether I’ll still do it, we’ll see.

“It was nice to see Briatore, an exceptional person. Then Alonso, Lopez, Petrov, Alesi, Liuzzi — beautiful, the track never lets you see the true face of the people.”

Pedro de la Rosa has indicated he does not want to return to being a full time formula one test driver.

After seven years as McLaren’s test driver, the Spaniard finally returned to the grid in 2010 with Sauber.

But he has been ousted and replaced by Nick Heidfeld, with de la Rosa instead taking over the role as incoming tyre supplier Pirelli’s F1 tester.

He said last week he is “really pleased” to be returning to the test track early this month in Spain, but has now scotched suggestions he is prepared to reprise his days as a full time test driver.

“I hope to have a (race) place in formula one next year,” de la Rosa said in an interview with the Dutch magazine formule1.nl.

“If my racing career in formula one is over, I regret that, but it’s not the end of the world,” he insisted.

“One thing is for certain: I will not do another season of testing.

“Even if I only get a place with a team at the back, I would rather that to being a test driver.  Even racing in a bad car is better than testing,” said de la Rosa.

It has been suggested that, at 39, the Spaniard might be considering retirement rather than more time on the last rows of the grid.

But he explained: “At the beginning of your career you settle for any car you can get.  Then you’re more selective, and at the end of your career you’re happy with any offer.

“For me, there is simply nothing better than racing,” added de la Rosa.

His Sauber successor, Heidfeld, is also not yet signed up for 2011.

The German told Auto Motor und Sport: “Being a reserve driver is hard, because you arrive at a circuit and ask yourself why you’re even then if there’s nothing for you to drive.

“That I could be involved in the development of the car with Mercedes eased the pain somewhat, but just watching is brutal, especially when you’re on site.

“In that situation, being at home is probably better, because at least there are distractions,” said Heidfeld.

Fernando Alonso has refused to criticise the Sauber team for ousting fellow Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa.

De la Rosa has been replaced with immediate effect by former long-time Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld, 14 races into de la Rosa’s return to the F1 grid.

“From the outside, we don’t know what happened. You can’t really judge these sorts of decisions that a team makes,” said Alonso, whose employer Ferrari supplies engines to Hinwil based Sauber.

“All I can do is send all the encouragement in the world to Peter and to tell him to keep fighting, because he is a fighter,” added the two-time world champion to Spanish newspapers.

“With Sauber it didn’t work out and hopefully he will get another chance,” said Alonso.

Before 2010, 39-year-old de la Rosa spent the previous seven years as McLaren’s test driver, but he vowed not to give up his desire to keep racing in F1.

The veteran of 84 grands prix told TV broadcaster Sport1: “I will come back.

“It will be difficult, but I’ve done it before and I will do it again,” added former Arrows and Jaguar driver de la Rosa.

Sauber confirmed on Tuesday morning that Pedro de la Rosa is leaving the Swiss team with immediate effect.

The Hinwil based outfit said the Spanish veteran will be replaced for the forthcoming Singapore grand prix and beyond by former team driver Nick Heidfeld.

The 33-year-old German’s contract will run “until the end of the season”, added Sauber in a media statement.

The deal begins on Friday, presumably so Heidfeld can test one more time with Pirelli this week in Spain.

“It was a hard decision for me to make and I want to thank Pedro for his professionalism,” said team boss Peter Sauber.

“By signing Nick we have a driver we know extremely well who will help us to further judge the comparative potential of our car.”

De la Rosa, who returned to the grid this year after seven years as McLaren’s test driver, said he was “surprised” by the decision.

“But I respect it and would like to wish everyone good luck for the remainder of the season. I still intend to be in formula one for 2011,” he added.

No mention was made of Heidfeld’s role with Pirelli, but it is reported he will have to leave the job, with de la Rosa being an ideal successor.

Pedro de la Rosa is set to replace Nick Heidfeld as Pirelli’s permanent tyre development tester.

It is expected that German Heidfeld, who left his role as Mercedes’ reserve driver in order to take up the Pirelli job, is now set to immediately replace de la Rosa in the Sauber race seat.

Heidfeld, 33, has already done two Pirelli tyre tests, and Auto Motor und Sport reports that his last outing in the role will be this week in Spain.

Testing veteran de la Rosa is an ideal replacement, with seven years of recent experience as McLaren’s main and highly respected third driver.

Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport claims there were moves to replace de la Rosa with Heidfeld as long ago as Silverstone, but Sauber gave the Spaniard a stay of execution because of a good performance at Valencia.

“Peter Sauber will not be commenting about drivers,” a spokesman for the Hinwil based team said on Monday.

Following the dual listing of Yamaha and Ducati and the letter “farewell” to the house of the Three Diapason, Valentino Rossi has decided to publish on its official website (valentinorossi.it) a video addressed to their fans, trying to explain reasons for this change. An intervention to 2 minutes which essentially reproduces the same issues raised in the letter to all staff Yamaha MotoGP.

“Finally it was discovered what I will do in the coming years, “said Rossi. “Certainly for the next two years, then we will see for the future, will ride with the Ducati was a difficult choice because these years with Yamaha have been fantastic, unforgettable seven years, won so much, I made some great races, large scale but above all I enjoyed it very much.

I have to thank everyone at Yamaha for this great time, but it was time to change air, do something different at my age are very important reasons. I along with my team we got the M1 was a bit unlucky … a motorcycle, we reach the top, now is the fastest bike and coveted: our work here is done.

We needed new ideas, adventure Ducati seemed to us at once more beautiful, more fun, it will be interesting to try to start over with Ducati do what good we did with the Yamaha. From next year there will be many changes, it will be certainly more interesting and fun … keep cheering!”.

Pedro de la Rosa insists a driver making a comeback to formula one needs a full year to get back up to speed.

The highest profile returnee in 2010 is Michael Schumacher, but Spaniard de la Rosa – two years younger than the great German – is also back in F1 full-time after seven years as McLaren’s test driver.

“At the highest level it is not easy,” the Sauber driver said at Silverstone.

“As the season goes on it is getting better. After a few races you are simply not yet right back on top,” added de la Rosa.

“To really be there again, you need a full year.”

De la Rosa insists he was never completely away from the cockpit; he was regularly at the wheel of McLaren’s state-of-the-art simulator, and occasionally tested on track.

But “in order to really compete with these guys, you probably need a whole year,” he added.

Lewis Hamilton on Saturday hit back at Nigel Mansell, after his fellow British world champion dismissed him as a “manufactured” driver.

1992 title winner Mansell is quoted as criticising the fact that some drivers like Hamilton are backed as karters from a young age, disadvantaging those who cannot secure such lucrative support.

“How many people from seven years of age have been given 2.5 million pounds to go karting?” he said.

Mansell, 56, also said Hamilton “didn’t handle” the tough times in his F1 career so far because it was “the first time ever in his life he’s had a tough time”.

After qualifying on the front row in Turkey, three tenths faster than his teammate and reigning world champion Jenson Button, Hamilton was unimpressed when he heard about Mansell’s comments.

“Clearly Nigel either has not been reading the right stories or he has not got his facts right,” said the McLaren driver.

“I was not signed up until I was 13 so I would love to see where the rest of that money was since I was seven,” added Hamilton, insisting that until he was signed by McLaren, his parents did it tough financially.

“I wouldn’t have expected that from him but that’s the way it is.”

And team boss Martin Whitmarsh added: “I just hope that Nigel is being misquoted. It often happens apparently.”

(GMM)

Apr.30 (GMM)  The extension of China’s formula one contract beyond 2010 may not be as simple as was recently suggested by Bernie Ecclestone.

The F1 chief executive had been asked in Shanghai about rumours that the race could now drop off the calendar, despite it being a crucial market for carmakers and sponsors.

“The contract is ongoing here.  We renew every five years.  It will go on,” said the Briton, blaming poor attendances on the local promoters but insisting that the government is “fully supportive”.

Earlier, a government official had warned that an “assessment” of whether China should renew its F1 deal was taking place.

And a Reuters media report on Friday predicted that contract negotiations will be “fierce”, after the event recorded “huge losses” over the last seven years.

But race promoter Juss Events’ Leon Sun sounded confident that a deal will be struck.

“It hasn’t been announced because there are still a few technical issues to be sorted out but we’re in good shape.

“It looks good at the moment,” he said.  “We’ve got until October this year to sort it out but I’m confident that we’ll have something before that.”

The 2010 F1 Championship is historic for Spaniards.  This season, not only will the beginning of the official calendar will take place in the Comunitat Valenciana ‘Ricardo Tormo‘ circuit, but it will also be an all-time milestone, because, for the first time, three Spanish drivers have a seat in the Formula One World Championship grid as official pilots.

Alonso, De la Rosa and Alguersuari

Fernando Alonso is making his debut as Ferrari’s official pilot in these tests, while Pedro Martínez de la Rosa occupies a place in the grid for fourth time in his career by the hand of Sauber, after seven years as test pilot in McLaren.  The threesome is completed with the young pilot from Toro Rosso, Jaime Alguersuari who has just been confirmed.

But we cannot forget rumors that point to a fourth Spanish pilot who could make his debut in the same season in the Renault team, Andy Soucek.

So, for first time in the history of modern F1, there will be three Spanish pilots confirmed in the Formula One World Championship grid during the 2010 season