• Williams news

Maldonado spin curtails show run

ESPN Staff
August 13, 2012 « Buemi closing in on 2013 race seat | Petrov calm over Caterham future »
Pastor Maldonado's homecoming show run ended after just two laps in Caracas © Getty Images
Enlarge

Pastor Maldonado's Caracas show run was cut short after he damaged his Williams while spinning on the streets.

Williams is in Venezuela during the mid-season break, and the highlight of the trip was expected to be a 12-lap demonstration run around Los Proceres - the capital city's national monument - but, despite a practice run the previous evening, a spin on only his second lap saw him damage the Williams and forced the team to cease running.

An eye-witness reported that the incident was caused by driver error, but the crowds were still treated to some action as Venezuelan GP2 driver Rodolfo Gonzalez completed eight laps of the circuit in a GP2 car before heavy rain prevented any further running.

The accident came on the final day of the Williams trip to Venezuela, with Maldonado heavily backed by the Government-owned oil company PDVSA.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
ESPN Staff Close