Pastor Maldonado wants to reassure about his presence in F1

Since the beginning of his presence in Formula 1, Pastor Maldonado has been supported by his country, Venezuela, through the state oil company PDVSA, which pays millions to the team that hosts its driver.

But recently, the Venezuelan sports minister made a shocking announcement, questioning the strong financial investments in a sport that ultimately brings them little advantage: « Venezuelan sports have other priorities, and it would be unfair to use state resources in disciplines that are not in line with the country’s sports development. » stated Antonio Álvarez on the subject.

On the sidelines of the Monaco Grand Prix, the main party involved, Pastor Maldonado, sought to reassure about his situation: “It was exactly the same last year, but I’m here! When Venezuela makes moves, the press always associates it with me. But the Ministry of Sports is not my sponsor. The PDVSA program is not a program of the Ministry of Sports.”

Maldonado specifies that PDVSA is not one of his personal sponsors and that he considers himself good enough to sustain his presence in Formula 1: « I think I have everything it takes to stay. If you look at my career, I have won races in all categories, including Formula 1, which is not the case for all drivers here. Besides that, PDVSA is not my sponsor; it’s the team’s sponsor. I don’t know the actual situation between the team and PDVSA. It would be better to ask them. I lost the sponsorship of PDVSA after my GP2 title. Now, I just make sure they follow me wherever I go. »

The Lotus driver does not seem overly concerned about his future in Formula 1: “We have a good relationship, and we have worked together for a very long time, more than 10 years, so I don’t see any reason to stop. If they stop, it’s not my decision.”