VENEZUELA/FILE: MOTOR RACING - Venezuelans celebrate Pastor Maldonado's remarkable first Formula One victory at the Spanish Grand Prix

Record ID: 862290

  • Title: VENEZUELA/FILE: MOTOR RACING - Venezuelans celebrate Pastor Maldonado's remarkable first Formula One victory at the Spanish Grand Prix
  • Date: 15th May 2012
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (FILE - SEPTEMBER 2010) (REUTERS) HUGO CHAVEZ, PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA, WITH MALDONADO AND WILLIAMS CARS
  • Embargoed: 30th May 2012 13:00
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  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9IKCT940FCZ6QVD4I6240266T
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  • Story Text: Venezuela was celebrating driver Pastor Maldonado's remarkable first Formula One victory on Monday (May 14).
    His thrilling Spanish Grand Prix win on Sunday (May 13) - the first for a Venezuelan - handed former champions Williams their first triumph in 132 races and nearly eight years.
    Scores of Venezuelans tooted horns and unfurled banners around Caracas saying "Maldonado, pride of Venezuela!"
    Spaniard Fernando Alonso, in a Ferrari, came second.
    Mechanic Luis Cedneno said Alonso must have found it hard to lose out to the Venezuelan outsider on home turf.
    "It is very good that a Venezuelan achieved this, because he was with a double champion and, coming second there is not easy [for Alonso], because he [Maldonado] is not home, not in his backyard," said Cedneno.
    Edgar Purrol, garage manager, said Maldonado, and his team-mate Bruno Senna, had good support.
    "They changed 80 percent of the mechanics, technicians, designers, and that influenced Pastor's performance. Not just his, but also Bruno Senna's. Formula One is worth a lot, apart from talent, all these factors come together," said Purrol.
    The 27-year-old driver has been closely associated with President Hugo Chavez's socialist government due to numerous friendly appearances alongside the Venezuelan leader.
    While Chavez recovers from cancer treatment, Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's Foreign Minister, made a statement to congratulate young driver.
    "All Venezuela, and I am sure all of Latin America, is celebrating this young Venezuelan's victory, a young Bolivarian from the generation that has been called the golden generation by President Chavez. This includes Pastor Maldonado and how he has overcome so many difficulties in his ascent to Formula One. Yesterday he gave us a lesson, which is that work, discipline, concentration and a winning mentality is important to athletes. This mentality can achieve great and giant things. This is the mentality our people have. The mentality of victory. The mentality of giants," said Maduro.
    The win brought a rare moment of national unity to a homeland bitterly divided months before a presidential vote in October.
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