Venezuelan Victorious

After Juan Pablo Montoya’s win in Brazil eight years ago Williams long drought for a F1 win came to an astonishing end as one of F1 most unpredictable seasons continued at the Spanish Grand Prix. Like Montoya in 2004 it was a South American driver who repaid his team, as Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado made his big breakthrough in the sport with his shock maiden victory at the Catalunya circuit.

The Williams driver held off competition from world champions Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen in a tactical battle between the teams. Lewis Hamilton’s penalty to the back of the grid for not carrying enough fuel in qualifying meant Maldonado was an unfamiliar pole sitter ahead of Alonso and the two Lotus drivers of Roman Grosjean and Räikkönen.

Maldonado takes his first podium

Experience was crucial into the first corner, as home favourite Alonso squeezed up the inside of Maldonado into the lead to the roar of the crowd. The only casualty at turn one was the unfortunate Sauber of Sergio Perez, after he was caught by Grosjean sending him to the back of the pack with a puncture.

Ferrari were the first to blink as Alonso was called in on lap eleven followed by the Maldonado on lap twelve. Further down the field Michael Schumacher’s worst start to an F1 season dragged on after he misjudged his breaking at turn one running into the back of the other Williams car of Bruno Senna.

Elsewhere McLaren’s catalogue of errors this year also continued disrupting Hamilton’s charge up the grid, when he hit a removed wheel in the pits costing valuable time.

After twenty six laps it looked like the two Lotus cars were struggling to keep up with the leading pair, before Maldonado made his a decisive second stop in a bold move. Alonso was quick to react a lap later but it wasn’t enough to stop the Venezuelan who retook the lead posting the fastest lap of the race.

Both the leaders made their third and final stop on lap forty two leaving them over twenty laps to go on one set of tyres. The closing stages then turned into a titanic battle, as the Lotus of Räikkönen came into play lapping a second a lap faster on fresher tyres.

But there was no change in the order as Maldonado capped off a brilliant drive to take the chequered flag. Alonso was delighted with second in front of his home fans while Lotus strong start to the year saw them take third and fourth. Sebastian Vettel finished sixth and is now joint championship leader with Alonso. While an impressive drive from Hamilton saw him fight back to eighth after being the only driver to two stop. 

 

Maldonado later said “it was a wonderful day” and he is happy “the car was so competitive” this was a huge, surprise result for Williams and answers critics about Maldonado’s talent, Showing he is not just a driver to bring money to the team but one who can win races as well. 

1                              Pastor Maldonado                           Williams                                                 25 points

2                              Fernando Alonso                             Ferrari                                                   18

3                              Kimi Raikkonen                               Lotus-Renault                                        15

4                              Romain Grosjean                             Lotus-Renault                                       12

5                              Kamui Kobayashi                            Sauber                                                   10

6                              Sebastian Vettel                               Red Bull                                                  8

7                              Nico Rosberg                                  Mercedes                                                6

8                              Lewis Hamilton                                McLaren                                                 4

9                              Jenson Button                                  McLaren                                                 2

10                           Nico Hulkenberg                              Force India                                              1