After all the dust has settled after this afternoon’s British Grand Prix, Williams driver Pastor Maldonado has been handed a $10,000 fine for his collision with Sergio Perez’s Sauberon lap 14. The stewards – headed by Nigel Mansell as guest driver steward – also decided to reprimand the the Venezuelan.
Perez had taken to an outside line to overtake Maldonado, but going into Brooklands the Williams veered wide, and clipped the Sauber. Both left the racetrack, with Maldonado limping round with a puncture and eventually finishing 16th. The Mexican was eliminated on the spot.
Pastor says it wasn’t deliberate. “I think it was unlucky this time because I lost the car on the entry to the corner, right on the apex with the front and then the rear,” he told Autosport.
Photo: Williams/LAT
“It was before I got to the kerb, and it was after I came out of the pits with DRS open. I did the braking on DRS, and I even braked before my normal braking point, and the reason [for the accident is] I think because the angle I had on the inside of the corner was not enough for the tyre conditions.”
As for Sergio, he was less than impressed. “Pastor is a driver who doesn’t respect other drivers. It’s just a matter of fact,” Perez told the BBC. “I was already in front, and if not he should have given me enough space not to crash, but he tried to push me all the way to the outside. I don’t understand the way he is driving.”
Photo: Sauber Motorsport AG
“I really hope the stewards can make something because the last three or four races he has done something to [other drivers].
Were these penalties enough to punish Pastor?
Let us know below!
Gustav
July 8, 2012
The stewards obviously have more information than we do, so it may very well be that he accidentally ran into Perez, but considering the amount of times he’s been involved in incidents this years I highly doubt that he’s been in all of them by accident. Maldonado is clearly a good drive, but he needs to calm down and not crash so often!
Nathan Lea
July 8, 2012
frankly, “mouldy nacho” appears to be a loose cannon. He needs to wise up a bit and fast…. His irratic style is costing him, and the team, valuable points.
v mcdre
July 9, 2012
Is that Moldy Nacho, or Pasta Marinara? As one Australian ex world champion referred to him?
Calder Leighton
July 8, 2012
He is obviously a tallented driver but just needs to engage his brain.
Steve
July 9, 2012
He has form. He deliberately drove into Hamilton at Spa and Perez in Monaco. His ‘incidents’ with Hamilton in Valencia and now Perez again at Silverstone shows he lacks control and self discipline. He is too arrogant and aggressive and has no respect for other drivers. He is a danger to himself and other drivers.
Yes, he has talent, but he needs to focus that talent and control his aggression.
He has been given light penalties in my opinion. Yes he has had a fine now, but other drivers have received grid penalties for lesser incidents. He should have at least had the fine and a grid penalty, but, he brings a lot of money to Williams and the sport. Maybe I’m just a cynic.
But what is the cost of keeping him in F1. Will it take an accident in which a driver is injured before he is dealt with? There is no place in F1 for a driver who uses his car to force other cars into barriers or to cause damage.
Oh, and did I hear Johnny Herbert call him Maldor Pastornado on Sky?
TheBrav3
July 9, 2012
JEV 25,000 euro fine +10 place grid drop for taking out a caterham running around in 18th rookie mistake in his rookie year fair enough really. Until you start looking at maldonados penaltys.
Maldonado 20 second time penalty after race for taking out a mclaren with probably 5x the financial investment compared to a caterham + the mclaren was in a podium position + this is maldonados second year of racing + he was completely off track at the time and had no right to rejoin side by side.
maldonado 10,000 fine and that is all a reprimand is a non punishment, for taking out a sauber who was running in the points and has at least 2x the financial investment of a caterham. Sergio gave him as much room as he possibly could he went offline round the outside and yet maldonado still ends up in the saubers side pod… Twice in two races he has removed one of his competition from the race and once again this is his second year of racing.
not including spa 2011 and monaco 2012 where he got 10 place grid penaltys for intentionally driving his car into drivers that he was “irked” by. The nature of the irking is something else as well lol. This guy explodes so easily i wouldn’t tickle him from behind he would probably view that as an attack and try to chin me. What i think is pretty clear, So tell me craig what did you and the other badgers think?
Backup
July 9, 2012
They gave up the most experienced driver in F1 history and kept this?!
Buzzwah
July 10, 2012
I feel sorry for Williams , they deserve much better than this nut job after the last few awful years.Think about how many points they could have if he’d just cool down a bit?
I recon he would have taken Alonso out too in Auz if he hadn’t crashed first. He’s no Montoya
Alexis
July 10, 2012
I think he was just clumsy. There was no malice (for once).
Past conduct shouldn’t affect the punishment you receive for that particular infringement.
Stephen
July 11, 2012
I agree wtih Alexis,
Valencia and Monaco he was out of line. But here he clearly lost control while side by side with Perez.
Getting a penalty at all is a bit harsh in this case I think
Willi Gauda
July 11, 2012
Kobayashi also lost control and got a penalty. According to your logic his penalty should be waived too.