Pastor Maldonado gets WEC ride

Pastor Maldonado

Former Formula 1 driver Pastor Maldonado will drive for the Dragonspeed LMP2 team in the WEC 2018/19 campaign.

The 2012 Spanish Grand Prix winner will be driving the LMP2 Oreca-Gibson 07 alongside former Indycar driver Roberto Gonzalez.

Maldonado has spent two years without a full-time drive since his five-year stint in Formula 1 with Williams and Lotus came to an end, and he will now make the transition into sportscar racing.

Maldonado was originally set to remain with the Lotus operation during its transition to Renault for 2016, but financial issues from long-term backers PDVSA led to his deal being cancelled, and he was unable to secure a seat elsewhere.

Another ex-F1 driver was slated to be apart of the team in the form of Esteban Gutierrez who had his name on the entry list for the Prologue on April 6-7. However, the deal eventually fell through and the Mexican has since taken up a role within Mercedes in a simulator role.

Dragonspeed's LMP1 driving team will be headed up by Ben Hanley, Renger Van Der Zande and Henrik Hedman. Pietro Fittipaldi will fill in for Van De Zande in Spa and Fuji while the Dutchman competes in the IMSA Weathertech Sportscar championship for Wayne Taylor Racing.