Sunday: First F1 point for Maldonado with Williams
After starting in 21st position, Pastor Maldonado scored his first career points at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit by securing 10th place, despite damage to his front wing: a first since Johnny Cecotto in 1983. Slightly further back, Rubens Barrichello also sustained damage to his front wing and struggled in his battle with Rosberg.
Pastor Maldonado – 10th
« I am really happy to bring back a point both for myself and for the team. This is a great progression. During the race, our pace was very consistent, so I am happy about it and I am also pleased for my country. Finally, we have some points and it’s even better to get them on such a special track. It was a tough race starting from the back, but I pushed hard every lap. »
Rubens Barrichello – 16th
We finished more competitively than we thought, and that’s a very good thing. I lost time battling with Rosberg on my pit entry lap during the second stop, which was unfortunate as it caused me to lose time and points that I thought I could score.
I am very happy for Pastor that he scored his first points. We could both have scored points today, which is encouraging regarding the progress the team is making.
Sam Michael, Technical Director
« It was a good race in the Top 10 for Pastor today and congratulations to him for scoring points. Both of our cars were consistent and strong in critical sectors on a very demanding circuit. Pastor and Rubens managed tire wear during the race, following Pirelli’s recommendations.
We damaged the front wing on both cars during the race, which affected our performance, but our pace remained consistent.
