Williams boss Adam Parr has hit out at claims Pastor Maldonado is little more than a “pay driver”.<\/p>\n
Despite German rookie Nico Hulkenberg’s solid rookie season with the British team, including pole position in Brazil, he has been replaced for 2011 by the heavily-backed Venezuelan Maldonado.<\/p>\n
But although Hulkenberg dominated Maldonado when they were teammates in GP2, the 25-year-old won the feeder series this year.<\/p>\n
In an article on the Spanish language motor21.com website, Williams chairman Parr said the description of Maldonado as a pay-driver is “repulsive and irrelevant”.<\/p>\n
“We have never sat a driver in our car who we did not think was ready for F1, deserved to be in F1 and was capable of delivering,” the Briton insisted.<\/p>\n
“The guy (Maldonado) has just won the GP2 championship with a rookie team, winning more races than anyone else.\u00a0 The mere fact that we have to talk about this is absurd,” said Parr.<\/p>\n
He insists that Maldonado is a “great talent” and that it is “not just our opinion”.<\/p>\n
“We work with an independent driver coach and he believes that, in terms of pure speed and talent, Pastor has as much capacity as the two Nicos (Hulkenberg and Rosberg).”<\/p>\n
Parr also denied that Maldonado’s tenure will be a short-lived one.<\/p>\n
“We do not see it as a one-year agreement but a long-term investment,” he said.\u00a0 “If you have a young talented driver, it is a promise for the future, and if he also has sponsors, all the better,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Money is irrelevant,” said Parr.\u00a0 “Fernando Alonso’s sponsor (Santander) is the biggest in F1.”<\/p>\n
As for the job-seeking Hulkenberg, Parr said he sees a bright future for the young German, even though there is no room at Williams in 2011.<\/p>\n
But Parr said: “I would like to see him with Williams again.\u00a0 He has the dedication and the passion to be a great driver and I was so impressed with his maturity and professionalism.<\/p>\n
“I hope he finds something somewhere else and on the other hand I would like to keep up a relationship with him.”<\/p>\n
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