Pastor Maldonado, who in 2013 enters his third F1 season with Williams, thinks new teammate Valtteri Bottas will get quickly up to speed. Actually, 23-year-old Finn Bottas is a rookie, and - once the Grove team gets its 2013 car up and running in Barcelona this month - he will have just four days at the wheel before making his grand prix debut in Australia.
But Venezuelan Maldonado said: "Valtteri has been actively involved in the development (of the FW35) and has done a lot of long days in the simulator. He is not a complete rookie," he told the MTV3 broadcaster. "I believe he will enjoy this season and will be immediately competitive."
Indeed, one of departed Williams driver Bruno Senna's complaints was that, despite racing throughout 2012, he usually had to give up his car to Bottas on Friday mornings at grands prix.
Before and after those race weekends last year, reserve driver Bottas was often seen helping the Williams mechanics and truckies set up and dismantle the garage. The Finn told British Sky television at Jerez: "I promised the guys, even though I am racing now, at least once I will come and help them again." (GMM)
Bottas 'not a complete rookie' - Pastor Maldonado
- Published on 08 Feb 2013 11:41
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
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Driver profile
- Team Cadillac F1
- Points 1,608
- Podiums 61
- Grand Prix 221
- Country FI
- Date of b. Aug 28 1989 (36)
- Place of b. Nastola, FI
- Weight 70 kg
- Length 1.73 m
- 135,081 comments on Cadillac F1
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- Team name Williams
- Base Grove, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
- Jacques Villeneuve 1
- Logan Sargeant 2
- Ayrton Senna 2
- Jacques Villeneuve 3
- Nicholas Latifi 6
- Jacques Villeneuve 6
- Nico Rosberg 7
- Nico Hülkenberg 10
- Nico Rosberg 10
- Jenson Button 10
- Pastor Maldonado 12
- Pastor Maldonado 16
- Nico Rosberg 16
- Nico Rosberg 16
- Valtteri Bottas 17
- Lance Stroll 18
- Pastor Maldonado 18
- Felipe Massa 19
- Alexander Albon 23
- Sergey Sirotkin 35
- Nyck de Vries 45
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- George Russell 63
- Valtteri Bottas 77
- Robert Kubica 88
- 161,828 comments on Williams
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