Maldonado: Leaving Williams not a great decision
Pastor Maldonado says it is a difficult decision to take after seeing his former team Williams enjoy an upward curve of success while Lotus struggles both on and off the track.
The Venezuelan switched to Lotus for 2014 after three underwhelming years with Williams, despite a maiden Formula 1 victory in Barcelona in 2012, but since his move his former team has surged up the field claiming multiple podium finishes while Lotus has stagnated somewhat over the past two seasons.
To make matters trickier Lotus has been continually threatened by High Court action due to unpaid taxes and is lacking financial security which has put the team's future in doubt.
When questioned in Russia whether he found it a frustrating hit on his F1 career Maldonado says despite the difficulties he is certain a 'very different philosophy' will aid him in the future.
"Frustrating is not the right word, it's just difficult," Maldonado said. "It was not a great [decision], but I'm working very hard together with the team. As a sportsman you always have a lot of hunger and you always have a lot of expectation in your life. At some point you have to take decisions and wherever it goes you must take it with responsibility and with all the passion you have. That's what I did.
"It's a fantastic team, maybe not with all the facilities all the other teams have - especially from the economic side - but on the other hand I have been learning a lot to work more together as a team with a very different philosophy. I am 100% sure that will help me in my future. We are not reaching the results we expected, but on the other hand I have been leaning a lot, big experience, which is great."
Maldonado also confirmed his future remains in F1 despite the possible lure of racing in the US and potentially achieving greater success like his fellow South American driver Juan Pablo Montoya.
"Maybe you can have success in America but at the moment I really enjoy being in Formula One," he said. "I think there is a lot to do from my side still here and I deserve the chance to show my real potential."
