The Pastor will reside at Williams.

[ioan]

Hindsight is 20/20. BMW ditched F1 and Williams would have been left high and dry. I guess it was a good decision that Williams decided not sell any shares to BMW.

Williams and BMW were winning races on a regular basis.
BMW ditched F1 because they did not win races.
And even so if BMW would have stepped out Williams would have retained the team. Getting BMW on board would have been the smartest thing, instead they are at the point where they need pay drivers.

[Sleeper]

Williams and BMW were winning races on a regular basis.
BMW ditched F1 because they did not win races.
And even so if BMW would have stepped out Williams would have retained the team. Getting BMW on board would have been the smartest thing, instead they are at the point where they need pay drivers.

So are Sauber, so I guess in the long run it would have made no difference.

[Ranger]

Hulkenberg smashed Maldonado in GP2 in 2009 when they were team-mates. Pastor was in his 3rd year, Nico was a rookie. I think that's the most odd part of this decision.

Maybe he will surprise like Kobayashi, maybe not.

In any case I'll predict Rubens will comfortably beat him and extend his career another season in doing so.

Good luck to him.

[anthonyvop]

As far as I am concerned Williams has turned into a one car team now.

[truefan72]

This is a sad day and a new low for Williams. Nothing against Pastor, but when a future star is pushed away from the team so a pay driver can take his place, is a sad state of affairs for Williams.

Perhaps its best to sell the team now, before it dies a slow painful death.

[Hawkmoon]

This is a sad day and a new low for Williams. Nothing against Pastor, but when a future star is pushed away from the team so a pay driver can take his place, is a sad state of affairs for Williams.

Perhaps its best to sell the team now, before it dies a slow painful death.

My thoughts as well.

R.I.P. Williams Grand Prix Engineering.

[Mia 01]

Moore than HRT, a youke that is, Williams.

[Bruce D]

Its very confusing. One minute Williams are trying to get Nico to sign a 5 year deal, Willi Weber advices against it, Williams drop Nico and now a second rate option is signed? Only time will tell whether this was a good decision or not.

Yeah but what I read was that Nico could sign the 5 year deal but then he'd be put in HRT for next year. I would have also said no. Clearly they wanted a pay driver in the 2nd car.

Maldonado really hasn't done enough IMO to deserve this. He won GP2 in a season when there wasn't anyone significant racing.

[ShiftingGears]

Maldonado really hasn't done enough IMO to deserve this.

For Williams it's not whether they've done enough. It's whether they've got enough. $$$$$

[Sonic]

Ready between the lines (okay, between the lines of the fine print because this is grasping at straws!) is it possible that Frank has something up his sleeve for 2012/13?
Evidence? Well the last time Sir Frank wanted to put a driver out on loan he had a new manufacture coming on board and put a rookie in the seat for a year.
Trying to sign Nico on a log term deal, but putting him out on loan with a small team whilst raking in the dough from a wealthy rookie could hint at that possibility again.
Add to that, we have the VW group sniffing around F1, could that be the link!

Ok - grasping at straws I know - but I'm snowed in here people and my mind is wandering.