Official: Williams announces Maldonado-Bottas duo for 2013

Pastor Maldonado and Valtteri Bottas will be the two main drivers for the Williams team in 2013. The English team announced this information in the morning. It will be the third year of racing for the Venezuelan in a car from the Grove workshops, while it will be the first engagement as a main driver for the young Finnish driver, who has long been nurtured by Frank Williams and Toto Wolff.

For Pastor Maldonado, it is satisfying to see the management’s confidence renewed: « I really appreciate my time at Williams, and I was obviously very happy to learn that I would continue with the team in 2013. The year 2012 was memorable for me with the victory in Barcelona, and we made great strides in terms of performance. I have great confidence in the team, and I hope next year will see us climbing further up the hierarchy and enjoying more success. »

Valtteri Bottas is thrilled to take a new step in his career: « It has always been my lifelong dream to compete in the Formula 1 World Championship. Doing it with one of the sport’s most legendary teams is incredibly special. I have really enjoyed my three years with Williams so far, and I feel at home here, so my goal has always been to stay for 2013 and secure a race seat. I can’t wait to start my Formula 1 career and share many successes with Williams. »

For Frank Williams, this duo bodes well for the 2013 season: « With Pastor and Valtteri, we have two of the most exciting talents in motorsport, and I am particularly excited about what 2013 can bring to Williams. Pastor has always shown remarkable speed, and this year has seen him mature as a racing driver. Valtteri is simply one of the most talented young drivers I have ever seen, and we expect great things from him in the future. »

Such an announcement deals a blow to Bruno Senna’s hopes of participating in the 2013 season. More consistent than Pastor Maldonado, especially in the second part of the season, but intrinsically less fast, the Brazilian also suffers from Williams’ desire to give a chance to the driver directly trained by the team. Frank Williams nevertheless does not forget to thank Ayrton’s nephew for his contribution to the team’s journey in 2012: I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Bruno Senna, who is departing, for his hard work over the past year, and wish him the best of success in the future.

Senna, for whom this announcement is not really a surprise, is already focused on the future: « Since the beginning of my program with Williams, I have accepted the fact of having to share my car with Valtteri during 15 Fridays to prepare him for his F1 debut. It has been satisfying to be the driver who regularly scored points for the team and demonstrated my pace throughout the 20 races. I’ve achieved some great things this season, like my fastest lap at Spa-Francorchamps, my favorite circuit. Regularly driving in the Top 10 has certainly been a step forward in my short career, and working with a competitive team like Williams leaves me well-prepared for the next step. »

Bruno Senna could make a comeback with Force India in 2013, but there are also whispers that he might join Caterham. In any case, the Brazilian driver will announce what his future holds in the coming weeks.