• Belgian Grand Prix

Maldonado hoping to stay at Williams in 2013

Pastor Maldonado: "I think I'm doing quite well and have put the team back at the top" © Sutton Images

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• Drivers:
• Pastor Maldonado

• Teams:
• Williams

Pastor Maldonado's first choice for a drive next year would be to remain at Williams, but he says he is not guaranteed a place in 2013.

Maldonado is in his second season with Williams and has had a mixed year, with a victory in Spain but also several accidents. He brings substantial sponsorship to the team through the Venezuelan oil company PDVSA, but admitted nothing is certain for next year.

"Am I confident [I will stay]? You never know here in Formula One," he said at Spa-Francorchamps on Thursday. "But I think I'm doing quite well and have put the team back at the top, especially after last year. I have a lot of confidence in the people here, I like the people, but we will see. Anything can happen."

Asked if Williams is his first choice for next year, Maldonado said: "From my point of view, yes. I'm confident in the team, this team has a lot of future, it's improving every time, and I would like to win the championship here before I leave."

However, he revealed that his management is exploring other options: "It's a bit early but my manager is taking care of that and quite soon we will look around."

And Maldonado said he was not dwelling on the series of accidents he has been involved in this year that have cost the team tens of points.

"If you think about that you are losing time," he said. "We need to think about the future and how to improve. I need to turn the page and look forward."

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