Maldonado hoping for 2017 return to F1

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - OCTOBER 29: Pastor Maldonado of Venezuela and Lotus looks on at a press conference during previews to the Formula One Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 29, 2015 in Mexico City, Mexico. Lars Baron/Getty Images/AFP

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - OCTOBER 29: Pastor Maldonado of Venezuela and Lotus looks on at a press conference during previews to the Formula One Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 29, 2015 in Mexico City, Mexico. Lars Baron/Getty Images/AFP

Published Feb 3, 2016

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London, England - Venezuelan driver Pastor Maldonado has not given up on Formula One and hopes to be back next year after being dropped by the Renault-owned Lotus team

“I don't see any concrete opportunity for Formula One this year,” Maldonado’s manager Nicolas Todt said on Tuesday. “We will try to bounce back in 2017.”

Todt, son of International Automobile Federation president and former Ferrari team principal Jean Todt, said the decision to replace Maldonado had come late in the day but the split was amicable.

Maldonado announced on Monday he would not be on the starting grid when the season starts in Australia on 20 March.

The only Venezuelan to win a Grand Prix, with Williams in 2012, he did not say what he planned to do or give any reason for his absence.

Media reports indicated, however, that his backers, the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA that has paid tens of millions of dollars in sponsorship, had missed scheduled payments to the team.

PDVSA has been hit by plunging oil prices and economic crisis in Venezuela, which is in recession and where annual inflation has risen to almost 150 percent.

“I don't want to go into the details of the contract,” said Todt. “The agreement was terminated in a friendly manner with Renault so no hard feelings. They behaved very fairly.”

'Crashtor' Maldonado loses F1 drive

Denmark's Kevin Magnussen is set to replace Maldonado, with the team expected to be renamed as Renault following its takeover of Lotus F1 in December, alongside British rookie Jolyon Palmer.

The team is due to hold a news conference in Paris on Wednesday to announce its line-up, managerial structure and future plans.

Manor, Formula One's smallest team, which competed as Marussia in 2015 and finished last overall with no points, is the only one yet to contract any drivers for 2016 but Todt ruled out Maldonado going there.

He was also manager to the late Marussia driver Jules Bianchi and represents Felipe Massa at Williams, and said Manor was a better fit for a young driver starting out than a 30-year-old race winner such as Maldonado.

Manor, which need its drivers to bring substantial sponsorship to make up the team budget, has been linked to Indonesian rookie Rio Haryanto who is trying to raise $16 million (R258 million) to secure the seat.

Mercedes' reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein is another leading candidate now that the champion is providing Manor with engines.

“Manor is not really an option,” said Todt. “After five years at Williams and Lotus, with all due respect to Manor, it makes no sense for Pastor.”

Reuters

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