Formula One drivers from Venezuela

There have been 3 Formula One drivers from Venezuela.[1]

Formula One drivers from Venezuela
Drivers3
Grands Prix120
Entries120
Starts114
Best season finish14th (2015)
Wins1
Podiums1
Pole positions1
Fastest laps0
Points77
First entry1960 Argentine Grand Prix
First win2012 Spanish Grand Prix
Latest win2012 Spanish Grand Prix
Latest entry2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2023 driversNone

Former drivers
Cecotto driving for Toleman at the 1984 Dallas Grand Prix.
Maldonado driving for Williams at the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix.
Maldonado driving for Lotus at the 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix.

The first Venezuelan F1 racer was Ettore Chimeri.[2] He raced in one Grand Prix, the 1960 Argentine Grand Prix in a Maserati 250F, but retired due to fatigue.[3] It was supposed to be the first of many entries for Chimeri, who was killed in practice for the Gran Premio Libertad sports car race in Havana, Cuba two weeks later.[4][5]

Accomplished motorcycle racer Johnny Cecotto made his debut in Formula One with Theodore Racing at the 1983 Brazilian Grand Prix.[6] He scored his only points in the following race, however the luck didn't last as the team was forced to pull out of the sport before the penultimate race of the 1983 season.[6][7] Cecotto landed a drive alongside debutant Ayrton Senna at Toleman for 1984, but was a classified finisher in only one of the ten races he participated in that season.[6][8] His final appearance was the 1984 British Grand Prix.[6]

27 years later, Pastor Maldonado made his Formula One debut for Williams at the 2011 Australian Grand Prix.[9] He spent his first 3 seasons in Formula One with the team, and quickly became known for his overly aggressive style of racing.[10][11] He raced for Lotus in 2014 and 2015, struggling with a mid-field car. Maldonado's career was heavily reliant on PDVSA backing, and when the Venezuelan economy went bust in early 2016, Renault (who had bought back Lotus in the off-season) opted out of keeping him on for the upcoming season and he was replaced by Kevin Magnussen.[12][13] The highlight of his career was an unlikely win at the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix, becoming the first (and so far only) Venezuelan to take victory in a Grand Prix.[14]

Timeline
Former drivers
Ettore Chimeri 1960
Johnny Cecotto 1983–1984
Pastor Maldonado 2011–2015
Source:[15]

See also

References
  1. "Venezuela - Drivers". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  2. "Venezuela". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  3. "Ettore CHIMERI - Grands Prix started". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  4. "Front row regulars". ESPN UK. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  5. "Ettore CHIMERI". StatsF1.com (in French). Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  6. "Johnny CECOTTO - Grands Prix started". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  7. "Johnny CECOTTO - Points". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  8. "8W - What? - Theodore". forix.autosport.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  9. "Pastor MALDONADO". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  10. "Pastor Maldonado: Why F1 will miss 'Crashtor'". BBC Sport. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  11. "Pastor MALDONADO - Seasons". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  12. Parkes, Ian. "Renault to step in and save Lotus F1 team from administration". Autosport.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  13. Edmondson, Laurence (1 February 2016). "Pastor Maldonado confirms F1 exit". ESPN. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  14. "Venezuela - Wins". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  15. "Venezuela - Grands Prix started". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
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