Pastor Maldonado insists he's only been to blame for one of his crashes this season. Really? We take a look back at all the Lotus drivers incidents to date...
Friday 25 September 2015 09:54, UK
"It's the first one of this year from my side," Pastor Maldonado insisted to Sky Sports F1 after crashing out of Belgian GP practice.
The first he was to blame for? We all know the Lotus driver has a bit of a reputation, but has he really been more sinned against than sinner in 2015? We decided to take a look at all of Pastor's 2015 race incidents...
Australia
Starting the season as it would go on, Maldonado's race lasts just two corners before he is tagged by Felipe Nasr, who in turn had been hit by Kimi Raikkonen at the first corner. As a result, the Lotus driver spins into the barrier on the outside of Turn Two.
Pastor's fault? No
Malaysia
The Lotus driver's race is compromised by a first-lap puncture caused by Valtteri Bottas. The Finn runs into Maldonado at the tight Turn Two, causing the deflation with his front wing and wrecking hopes of a points-scoring result.
Pastor's fault? No
China
Once again Maldonado's race day comes to an early end after Jenson Button spears into the back of his Lotus car at Turn One. Defending the inside line into the long right-hander, the McLaren driver makes a misjudgement and sends the Lotus driver spinning across the run-off area. Jenson later apologises, confirming that Pastor is blameless. But the less said about Maldonado missing the pit lane entry beforehand, the better.
Pastor's fault? No
Bahrain
Pastor's race is ruined by drama in the pit lane when his engine seizes up, but the South American had already done himself few favours by running into the back of Felipe Massa's car - thereby causing what the Williams team describe as "quite extensive" damage.
"I don't know what he did to be honest but he lost his braking point in corner four," said an unhappy Massa.
Pastor's fault? Yes
Spain
Breaking the cardinal sin of F1, the two Lotus drivers make contact at Turn Three as Maldonado attempts to sweep around the outside of team-mate Romain Grosjean. Don't they know that team-mates should never collide in F1?
The Frenchman had been slow after making a mistake at Turn One, but replays suggest Maldonado didn't leave his team-mate enough space before trying to cut back to the apex. The result is right-rear to front-left contact which caused the failure of Maldonado's rear wing support and another point-less afternoon.
Pastor's fault? Yes
Britain
Another race to forget for the Lotus team as Maldonado retires after being clobbered by Grosjean on the first lap in a chain reaction instigated by Daniel Ricciardo's mistake. "There is nothing you can do in situations like these as it's all part of racing," says a frustrated Pastor. "There was nothing either of our drivers could have done," concurs Lotus deputy Federico Gastaldi.
Pastor's fault? No
Hungary
Pastor collides with Sergio Perez after running his Force India to the outside of the track exiting Turn 1. "I'll tell you what Maldonado could have done, he could have put an awful lot more steering lock in," remarks Sky F1 Martin Brundle during commentary.
More definitively, the stewards judge Maldonado guilty, handing him a drive-through penalty - plus two penalty points on his super licence - for causing a collision. A bad day then gets worse still as Pastor is penalised in the race for overtaking before the Safety Car line and speeding in the pit lane while serving his drive-through - which duly earns him another!
Pastor's fault? Yes
Belgium
The worst weekend of Maldonado's season? The Lotus driver features in not one but two costly incidents - and is at fault for both. The first occurs during Friday practice when he loses the rear of his E23 at the exit of Les Combes and spins off into a tyre wall.
Matters don't improve two days later when what is later revealed by the Lotus team to have been a 17G impact with the kerbs at Eau Rouge results in yet another race retirement. The team's decision to disclose the details of the incident suggest they were not impressed either.
Pastor's fault? Yes
Italy
Maldonado is nudged off the track by Nico Hulkenberg's Force India at first chicane, the impact with the kerb breaking his car's floor. The result is instant retirement but it's difficult to see what Maldonado could have done differently.
Pastor's fault? No
Singapore
"I should have known really that he was mental," says a frustrated Jenson Button after losing his McLaren's front wing when he drove into the back of Maldonado, who was slow through Turn 17 after a stout defence though the previous corner had forced him into the run-off.
Looking at the replays it was a bit too stout, though, with the McLaren almost alongside the Lotus. "I was on the inside of him and he just tried to drive me straight off the circuit," Button complained.
Pastor's fault? Yes
The Verdict
While Maldonado hasn't exactly been blameless, the numbers above suggest it's not always his fault.
Then again, bad boys do tend to go looking for trouble and F1's very own bad boy is clearly no exception. So how to solve a problem like Pastor? His PDVSA millions (all 30 of them reportedly) have ensured another year with Lotus/Renault, so perhaps he should try and get help the way Grosjean did to clean up his act? Then again, six seasons into his F1 career, maybe Maldonado will never change.
It seems that, in F1, every generation produces its anti-hero: as fast as anyone on his day but also with a propensity for aiming it at the scenery just a little too often. The enigma continues...
Don't miss Sky Sports F1's live coverage of the 2015 Japanese GP. Race-day coverage begins on Sunday at 4.30am with lights out at 6am. Watch the Japanese GP for £6.99 with NOW TV
