Pastor Talks! Q&A with Maldonado

There's no doubting how fantastic it was to see Pastor Maldonado win in Spain, another winner in another car and a Williams at that - the great team that's had a terrible few seasons after being an top of the sport for so many years... With his "still-a-rookie-ish" status, we haven't heard much from Pastor as a driver, but following his victory, here's a great little Q&A from Williams...

Q: You visited the team’s factory in Oxfordshire today, what was the atmosphere like?
Pastor Maldonado: I arrived at the factory this morning and everybody I have met has been congratulating me and there seems to be a lot of optimism about what we can achieve this season. We had a gathering this morning with all of the people in the factory to celebrate our win and this allowed me to thank all of them for their hard work.

Q: After your victory in Barcelona do you think you have a realistic chance of winning at the next race in Monaco?
PM: We will certainly do our best. Our package is definitely getting better and although we don’t have the quickest car right now, we are improving very quickly. I have always liked Monaco and after Sunday I am certainly full of confidence.

Q: Last year Williams scored only 5 points, but now you have a competitive car that has won a race. What do you think has caused such a dramatic up-turn in your performance?
PM: We have a new technical team and they seem to be making a very positive impact already. I also have more experience now compared to last year and this is certainly helping me. I don’t think there is one single thing that has led us to improve this year, but a number of little changes that when put together have made us more competitive on track.

Q: You showed no signs of nerves when battling with Fernando Alonso in Barcelona. Did you learn valuable lessons from your encounter in Melbourne when you crashed out on the final lap?
PM: In Melbourne I was pushing very hard to get as many points as possible for the team and perhaps pushed a little too hard. After last year the team were desperate for a strong start to the season and I wanted as many points as possible. I learnt from that and the experience certainly made me a stronger driver in Barcelona. Fernando is a tough competitor with a lot of talent so it was a tough battle but this time I came out on top.

Q: Some people have said that you are a paid driver who entered Formula One because of your sponsorship backing. Do you think your win has answered these critics?
PM: I am very lucky to have such amazing support from Venezuela. The finances I can bring have helped me reach Formula One but also help develop the car and that is crucial in being successful. I don’t focus on these comments, preferring to do my talking on the track and do the best job I can for the team. Hopefully my performance in Spain has shown that I have the talent to be one of the best drivers.

Q: We have had 5 winners now in the first 5 races. Do you think this unpredictability is good for Formula One?
PM: This has been one of the most competitive seasons we have seen in many years and to have such a strong level of competition between the teams and drivers is a good thing in my opinion. It is boring for fans when one driver dominates, and this season feels a bit like GP2 with the driver being able to play a big part in the performance of the car. The tyres also allow teams to play around with different strategies so there is always the opportunity to move up if you take a gamble. We have worked hard on getting our tyres to perform well and this was certainly the case in Spain where I could do a longer final stint than others.

Pastor Talks! Q&A with Maldonado

There's no doubting how fantastic it was to see Pastor Maldonado win in Spain, another winner in another car and a Williams at that - the great team that's had a terrible few seasons after being an top of the sport for so many years... With his "still-a-rookie-ish" status, we haven't heard much from Pastor as a driver, but following his victory, here's a great little Q&A from Williams...

Q: You visited the team’s factory in Oxfordshire today, what was the atmosphere like?
Pastor Maldonado: I arrived at the factory this morning and everybody I have met has been congratulating me and there seems to be a lot of optimism about what we can achieve this season. We had a gathering this morning with all of the people in the factory to celebrate our win and this allowed me to thank all of them for their hard work.

Q: After your victory in Barcelona do you think you have a realistic chance of winning at the next race in Monaco?
PM: We will certainly do our best. Our package is definitely getting better and although we don’t have the quickest car right now, we are improving very quickly. I have always liked Monaco and after Sunday I am certainly full of confidence.

Q: Last year Williams scored only 5 points, but now you have a competitive car that has won a race. What do you think has caused such a dramatic up-turn in your performance?
PM: We have a new technical team and they seem to be making a very positive impact already. I also have more experience now compared to last year and this is certainly helping me. I don’t think there is one single thing that has led us to improve this year, but a number of little changes that when put together have made us more competitive on track.

Q: You showed no signs of nerves when battling with Fernando Alonso in Barcelona. Did you learn valuable lessons from your encounter in Melbourne when you crashed out on the final lap?
PM: In Melbourne I was pushing very hard to get as many points as possible for the team and perhaps pushed a little too hard. After last year the team were desperate for a strong start to the season and I wanted as many points as possible. I learnt from that and the experience certainly made me a stronger driver in Barcelona. Fernando is a tough competitor with a lot of talent so it was a tough battle but this time I came out on top.

Q: Some people have said that you are a paid driver who entered Formula One because of your sponsorship backing. Do you think your win has answered these critics?
PM: I am very lucky to have such amazing support from Venezuela. The finances I can bring have helped me reach Formula One but also help develop the car and that is crucial in being successful. I don’t focus on these comments, preferring to do my talking on the track and do the best job I can for the team. Hopefully my performance in Spain has shown that I have the talent to be one of the best drivers.

Q: We have had 5 winners now in the first 5 races. Do you think this unpredictability is good for Formula One?
PM: This has been one of the most competitive seasons we have seen in many years and to have such a strong level of competition between the teams and drivers is a good thing in my opinion. It is boring for fans when one driver dominates, and this season feels a bit like GP2 with the driver being able to play a big part in the performance of the car. The tyres also allow teams to play around with different strategies so there is always the opportunity to move up if you take a gamble. We have worked hard on getting our tyres to perform well and this was certainly the case in Spain where I could do a longer final stint than others.

Murray Walker remembers Gilles Villeneuve

Anybody else used to own the VHS of "Murray Walker's Magic Moments"?

We do in the Sett - in fact, we all have our own personal copies - and while flicking through it for the millionth time we found Murray's own tribute to Gilles Villeneuve, including classic footage and original commentary.

This week marks the 30th anniversary of the Canadian's death at Zolder. See his son, Jacques, tribute from Tuesday here.

Like father, like son; Jacques drives Gilles 1979 Ferrari

Tuesday 8th May marked the 30th anniversary of the passing of Gilles Villeneuve. In celebration of the Canadian driver's time at Ferrari - managing 6 wins - the Italian marque allowed his son, 1997 Driver's Champion Jacques Villeneueve, to drive the car that took Gilles to second place in the title race in 1979, the Ferrari 312T.

Jacques was watched by Luca di Montezemolo, current Ferrari drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, as well as former team members involved during the 1970s and 80s.

Looking for your racing fix?

With over two weeks until the Spanish Grand Prix, you may be looking for something to fill the time and that void left by the lack of racing action to enjoy - as ever, Badger's here to help - what about digging out your old Scalextric, and having a few friends round for race night? Can be massive amounts of competitive fun.

Or for those who have the time the skills, why not build your own Scalextric type slot car setup? Here at the Sett, we were blown away when discovering a chap going by the name of Luf Linkert who's what you'd call a "wood track guru". He and others run and maintain the OldSlotRacer.com website - it's charming in it's lack of design, but do persist with it, some the setups on there are just beyond belief!

Or for a quick fix and to see one of his setups in action, check out this superb track and TV interview

Amazeballs.

Photos via the http://oldslotracer.com/ website

(download)

Williams 1st for Chinese GP...

...in terms of their Grand Prix preview at least - they're the first team get to work straight after the bank holiday and here's what the team have to say ahead of this coming weekend's Chinese GP:

Mark Gillan, Chief Operations Engineer: Having secured our first points of the season in Malaysia with what is a much improved and competitive car the team are eager to move onto Shanghai as soon as possible. The fundamental characteristic of the circuit is that it is aggressive on the tyres and the track will prove a stern test for the FW34 and will be a good indication of how improved our tyre management is compared to last season. Pirelli are bringing the medium (white band) and soft (yellow band) tyres as the prime and option respectively. Whilst having one of the highest maximum speeds of any circuit, overall brake severity is low to medium and most other performance metrics are of a medium severity. The loss through the pit lane is high and the chance of a safety car is quite high too, with typically one per race. The weather can be pretty changeable in Shanghai with large temperature swings and the chance of rain - although hopefully not so dramatic as that encountered during the last race in Kuala Lumpur!

Badger's Response: Mark is clearly happy with the 2012 Williams car, and so he should be, it's a marked improvement over the last couple of years. Good points about the safety car, it's nearly certain for an appearance on Sunday and a bit of wet/dry changeable conditions could be just what Williams need for a chance to grab some serious points. The car's more than capable, but the mid-field is very tight, that said if the car performance continues and the weather helps a little, maybe Pastor can show what he can do and keep it on track until the chequered flag.

Pastor Maldonado: Shanghai is one of my favourite circuits on the calendar so I am really looking forward to the race. The circuit has a nice combination of slow and medium speed corners and good sequences that are fun to drive. It is also very challenging because it is difficult to get close to the car in front to take advantage of the long DRS zone. We have shown good pace in the first two races and hopefully we can continue to improve here and pick up some points.

Badger's Response: Pastor, if you're running in good solid points-hauling position, don't screw it up by trying to catch and pass a Ferrari towards the end of the race, Williams need points - Australia was a massive let-down after such a great performance. We love your hot-headed-ness, but tame it a little and bring home some points for a team close to our hearts.

Bruno Senna: The car is performing well and showing strong pace so I am confident about our chances in China. I have not raced there for two years so I will have to work hard to re-learn the track, but I have good memories of the circuit because it has a good mix of high speed and low speed corners and good overtaking opportunities. I had a good race in Malaysia and hopefully I can continue that form in Shanghai.

Badger's Response: hear hear Bruno! Continue your strong form and get practicing on your PlayStation and we're sure you can beat your previous best at China (16th in 2010 for HRT)

What do you think for Williams' chance in China - any predictions?

Image - OctanePhotos.co.uk

Ferrari to mark anniversary of Villenueve's death

Ferrari have announced that they will mark the 30th anniversary of the death of Gilles Villenueve at Maranello in May. The Canadian was killed in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix in Zolder in 1982.

The team released a statement on their official website on Sunday morning, reading;

"Exactly one month from today, it will be the thirtieth anniversary of the death of Gilles Villeneuve. His memory is still vivid and alive in the minds of many at Maranello; his talent, his speed, his bravery which bordered on recklessness, all go to make his name still hugely popular with our fans, even among younger ones who have only been able to see him on replays of his races or read about him in stories written by journalists."

"We have decided to commemorate this date in a special way, bringing together the names of Ferrari and Villeneuve in their natural environment, the race track. On Tuesday 8 May, Gilles’ son Jacques will take to the Fiorano track at the wheel of the 312 T4 driven by his father in 1979, the season that he and Jody Scheckter brought the Scuderia the Constructors’ title, with the South African also taking the Drivers’ World Championship. It will be a fitting occasion to evoke the memory of a man who has and always will have a place of honour in the history of Ferrari."

Gilles raced for Ferrari for 66 of his 67 starts, taking 2 pole positions and 6 victories, while his son Jacques took the F1 title in 1997, in only his second season.

Mansell + Mondeo + Monsoon = Mayhem!

It's all about F1 in the Sett, but sometimes a video comes along that's outside the sport that gets us going - none more so than Nigel Mansell's cameo in the BTCC at Donington in 1998. Driving a Mondeo for West Surrey Racing (and sporting a red "55"), Our Nige went bumper to bumper with some legends of tin-tops, and what a spectacle it was!

Why not tune in to the new season the British Touring Car Championship (or BTCC for short) this weekend

Eddie Jordan "overjoyed" to receive an honorary OBE

Blimey, Eddie Jordan has received an honorary OBE for his services to charity and motor racing and he's rightly "overjoyed".

Here at Badger, we're big fans of Eddie, he adds a great deal to the BBC coverage - both in that he's been in the business of Formula 1 for years and of course for his unpredictable personality and ability to get very excited of pretty much anything. Some may criticise him, but in our opinion he's a very big part of why the BBC's F1 coverage has been and continues to be so good.

Which other F1 personalities do you think should receive such recognition?

Here's the official statement on Eddie Jordan receiving his Honorary OBE:

One of Formula 1’s most charismatic personalities, former racing driver, team owner, current BBC F1 analyst and entrepreneur, Eddie Jordan, has been honoured by Her Majesty the Queen for his services to charity and motor racing.

On being awarded the honorary OBE, Eddie said:

“What a wonderful moment in my life. I am hugely surprised and greatly overjoyed to receive this magnificent honour, however it would not have been possible without the help of my family, the Jordan Grand Prix F1 team, CLIC Sargent and in more recent times the BBC F1 team”.

A Dubliner by birth, Eddie’s distinguished career in motorsport started behind the wheel but grew as owner of Eddie Jordan Racing - later known as Jordan Grand Prix. He is widely respected by his peers and motorsport fans alike for his passion, success and unique style, particularly as a privateer. His ability to spot and bring on young driver talent is legendary. He gave World Champions Ayrton Senna and Damon Hill their first drives in F3, and another World Champion, Michael Schumacher, his first drive in F1. Other winners followed: his brother, Ralf, Eddie Irvine, and Rubens Barrichello. The team went on to finish 3rd in the World Championship with Frentzen/Hill in 1999 after Jean Alesi and Johnny Herbert won the F3000 and F3 Championships respectively. Significantly as many as 7 ex-Jordan drivers also drove for Ferrari. The altruistic side of Eddie Jordan is seen today in his various philanthropic interests, notably as patron of the child cancer charity, CLIC Sargent and The Amber Foundation for the young homeless. In addition, as a keen drummer, Eddie’s band - ‘Eddie & the Robbers’ - play at many charitable functions.

Eddie currently enjoys a role as part of the BAFTA winning BBC team’s hugely successful coverage of Formula 1, and he has many varied and diverse business interests including property, publishing/radio, private equity and other investments. In addition he is a current member of the Advisory Board to Citi Private Bank.

More about Eddie:

Eddie and his wife Marie, a former Irish international basketball player, have been married for 33 years and have four children, each of them having inherited their parents’ ambitious drive in their chosen fields. Zoe is a successful fashion designer with her own label, Zoë Jordan. Zak is a Lloyds insurance broker and ex Irish freestyle snowboard champion and current Irish international lacrosse player. Both Miki and Kyle are successful marketeers with the World Powerboat Championship and Sunderland AFC respectively.

Eddie is obviously delighted to have received the honorary OBE, and it adds to a number of other accolades for his contribution to motor racing and charity: he was knighted as an honorary Musketeer in France; the University of Ulster bestowed him an honorary doctorate, as indeed did the Dublin Institute of Technology; the University College Dublin’s Literary and Historical Society awarded him the James Joyce Award; Trinity College Dublin’s University Philosophical Society awarded him the Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage. Alongside these he has been the Entrepreneur of the Year and an Oxford University Union past speaker and he has been recently inducted into the Irish Motorsport Hall of Fame.

Vettel, Webber, Hamilton and Button all confirmed for @fosGoodwood

The 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed is fast approaching and looks to be another great event. Why, well they've not only got Button and Hamilton in attendance - you'd pretty much expect the recent British F1 champions to be present, but they also have the current and youngest double F1 World Champion, Sebastian Vettel there for the event. Mark Webber? Yep, he's there too - he loves the Festival of Speed and is there most years.

The event is happening a week prior to the British GP, in the height of what should be a glorious British summer. If you can't make it, BadgerGP will bringing you coverage of all the action and photographs of the motors on display.

Info from Goodwood themselves:

Lord March is delighted to announce the attendance of the Red Bull Racing F1 team at this year’s Festival of Speed with its double Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel, who is due to appear at Goodwood for the very first time. Sebastian’s Red Bull Racing team mate and regular Goodwood supporter Mark Webber will also appear in action at Goodwood just one week before the British Grand Prix, giving Festival spectators and F1 fans the chance to see the drivers and team at much closer quarters than they are traditionally able to at a GP circuit.

The astonishing achievements of double F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel is a perfect representation of the 2012 Festival theme ‘Young Guns – Born to Win’, which celebrates huge motor racing talent, who burst on to the scene at an early age.. This elite group of newcomers also includes motor racing greats such as Bernd Rosemeyer, Mike Hawthorn, Emerson Fittipaldi, Ayton Senna, Mike Hailwood, Valentino Rossi, Henri Toivonen and Colin McRae.