Pastor Maldonado confident Williams 'close' to F1's top teams and can win again in 2013

Pastor Maldonado has told Sky Sports F1 Online that Williams go into the 2013 season with "great potential" and with the capability of challenging the top teams on a more regular basis.

He added: "We had a couple of aero problems last year, which is not the case now. We have been pushing so hard on that side to develop the car and now we hope to have a very competitive car - even from the beginning of the season. And I feel ready, ready to do great races." One significant change at the team over the winter has seen the promotion of the highly-rated Valtteri Bottas to the second race seat alongside Maldonado after Bruno Senna was dropped. With two seasons of top-flight racing behind him, Maldonado is aware more responsibility falls on his shoulders this season. [I'll have] more responsibility because it's going to be the first year of Valtteri in the car racing, and that will be a bit difficult at the beginning, but Valtteri has a lot of experience with the team and he knows very well how the team works and the style," he told Ted. "He's a good guy so I hope as well to have a great season together as a team. Our mission is to put the car in the top [places] as [often as] possible for us." Click here to watch the full interview with Pastor Maldonado