State-sponsored F1 driver Pastor Maldonado's future appears clouded, following the death of controversial Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. Backed by the state-controlled oil company PDVSA, the Williams driver expressed relief late last year when the socialist incumbent was re-elected for a new six year term. "Long live democracy!" Maldonado, who was a personal friend of the late Chavez, had exclaimed on Twitter.
But in the last years and weeks, 58-year-old Chavez has been battling cancer, and his death has now triggered a presidential election that must be held within 30 days. "Viva Chavez," Maldonado said on Twitter following Chavez's death on Tuesday. "I join in the deep pain of all Venezuelans." Just hours before confirming the death, vice president Nicolas Maduro accused the United States of a plot to kill Chavez. A US government spokesman in Washington said the claim is "absurd". (GMM)
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Maldonado's future in doubt after death of Hugo Chavez
- Published on 06 Mar 2013 08:22
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Driver profile
- Team Renault
- Points 27
- Podiums 0
- Grand Prix 19
- Country Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
- Date of b. Mar 9 1985 (41)
- Place of b. Maracay, Aragua, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
- Weight 68 kg
- Length 1.73 m
- 27,547 comments on Renault
9 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Pastor Maldonado
Team profile
- 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
- 39 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Williams
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