HRT to test Pastor Maldonado in Abu Dhabi

Pastor Maldonado, GP2 2010 Champion, will test for Hispania Racing in Abu Dhabi

Pastor Maldonado will be testing with Hispania Racing during three of the four test days in Abu Dhabi at the end of the 2010 season. He will drive the car on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.

He is a young and talented driver, who has already demonstrated in other categories that he is fast, experienced and ready to drive an Hispania Racing, HRT F1 Team car. This will be the second time he sits in a Formula 1, after testing for the first time in 2004 in Misano with the Minardi F1 Team.

Pastor Maldonado (Maracay, March 9, 1985) is the current GP2 Series Champion, after winning the most races in one same year (six) with the Rapax Team. The 25 year-old Venezuelan began his career in karting at the age of seven. His first experience in Formula racing was in Italy in 2003. He competed in the Formula Renault Championship with Cram Competition and won the Italian title in 2004. That same year he was given the chance to test with the Minardi F1 Team in Misano. He followed that up with a year in the Italian F3000 Championship before moving on to Formula Renault 3.5 Series where he classified third, with three race wins, six further podium finishes and five pole positions. In 2007 he moved to the GP2 Series, where he ended the season as the best rookie. The following year he continued in GP2, finishing the year in 5th place. In 2009, he took part in several GP2 Asia Series races as well as the GP2 main Series with ART Grand Prix Team, finishing 6th with two wins.

Q&A with Pastor Maldonado

What does it mean for you to participate in these F1 tests with Hispania Racing?

P.M. "It will be something special to test with Hispania Racing after being the GP2 champion. It will definitely be an experience and one I am looking forward to very much."

You are the second Venezuelan driver to drive a F1 car. How does this make you feel?

P.M. "It is simply an honor to be only the second Venezuelan driver after Johnny Cecotto, who drove nearly three decades ago. I have much to be grateful for being given this opportunity."

You have gained a lot of experience in lower categories (GP2, GP2 Asia, RWS, F3000…) How do you think this has helped you to get here and test a F1 car with Hispania Racing?

P.M. "My previous experience will be very important, at this test in particular. Having the experience that I do can only help me adapt to a new, more complex category. I know as well that it has only increased my determination to be successful."

What do you expect these 3 days of testing with Hispania Racing?

P.M. "The three days will be very important. I hope to contribute to the development of the team and to accumulate as much experience as possible."

Describe yourself as a driver.

P.M. "I am a fast and technical driver and I'm here to win."

-source: hrt