GreenBkk.com Formula 1 | Williams expects to retain Rubens Barrichello and Pastor Maldonado for 2012

Williams expects to retain Rubens Barrichello and Pastor Maldonado for 2012

By Jonathan Noble

Monday, July 11th 2011, 11:31 GMT

Williams thinks it is 'likely' it will keep both Rubens Barrichello and Pastor Maldonado on board for next year.

Although the Grove-based outfit has had a difficult start to the campaign, and is currently ninth in the constructors' championship, chairman Adam Parr sees no reason why it needs to change its drivers for 2012.

When asked by AUTOSPORT if he believed the team would retain both Barrichello and Maldonado, Parr said: "Yes. I think that is vastly the most likely outcome."

Barrichello, who is the most experienced driver in F1, said recently that he had every intention of racing on next year - but he made it clear the team had not yet communicated its intention to him.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT about Parr's comments, Barrichello said: "I wish he said that to me. I still haven't heard that. I want to be racing next year, I want to have a competitive car next year.

"I have been working for Williams, I've been talking to Mike Coughlan in the factory and I'm part of that organisation. I hope they have something in place.

"My mindset is to stay in Formula 1, so I hope the team offers me something soon for us to get it together."

When asked if he was looking at options outside of Williams, Barrichello said: "Ideally I would love to stay here, but I would love them to be an open thing. And if they are happy with the drivers they should talk to the drivers, not to the press."

Parr also praised the efforts of Maldonando this year – and said his performance had justified the team's decision to sign the Venezuelan despite the criticism it received at the time.

"I always believed and people derided us and me for saying it, but I think he is a very, very talented driver," explained Parr.

"His record in GP2 certainly earned him a place in F1, and you could see the speed and what he has begun to show is a degree of consistency and maturity that people did not expect as well. We have been in Q3 three times this season and he did it each time."

Credit: AUTOSPORT.COM (www.autosport.com)