Maldonado loses 2016 F1 seat

After weeks of speculation, Pastor Maldonado has finally put the rumours about his future in F1 to bed by confirming that he won’t be on the grid this season.

Reports of a late payment from his sponsors – Venezuelan oil company PDVSA – surfaced a fortnight ago, throwing his continued presence in the sport into serious doubt.

It seems the parties involved were unable to resolve the issue, and with Renault due to unveil their new car and line-up in Paris this Wednesday, Maldonado chose to confirm his departure via a statement on Twitter earlier today.

If the media are to be believed, it is almost certain that he will be replaced by Danish driver Kevin Magnussen, who has been hunting for a new team since being dropped by McLaren last October.

He will partner 24-year-old Jolyon Palmer, provided that Magnussen’s reported deal with Renault has indeed already been sealed.

As for Maldonado, it’s not known what he’ll do next. The Venezuelan leaves F1 with a controversial record having become famous for his numerous collisions and mishaps during three years with Williams and two years with the Lotus outfit being taken over by Renault.

Former Red Bull driver Mark Webber recently said Pastor was “probably” the worst driver on the grid, although on occasion he was capable of displaying the phenomenal pace which helped him win the GP2 championship in 2010.

His best result in Formula One was a sensational win at the Spanish Grand Prix in 2012, where he was promoted to pole before holding off both Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen to take the chequered flag on race day.

Other than that, his appearances in the top ten were infrequent to say the least, claiming just half as many points finishes as he did race retirements across five seasons.

Without financial backing – previously thought to be in the region of £35 million per year – even backmarkers Manor are no longer an option for the South American.

It’ll be interesting to see where he ends up based on his talents alone...

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