Pastor Maldonado enjoyed his first every victory in Formula 1 yesterday, however, the blaze that engulfed pit lane has become today’s talk of the town.
We’re sure that there is no better feeling than winning your first ever Formula 1 race, while also winning your team’s first race in eight years. Sadly, that winning feeling would have been somewhat dampened for Pastor Maldonado yesterday after the Williams team pit went up in flames at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, injuring a number of people in the process.
Thankfully, none of them were killed or too seriously injured. In total, 31 mechanics were treated in hospital following the freak blaze, according to the Mirror.
It all occurred around 90 minutes after Maldonado crossed the finish line. Team founder, Sir Frank Williams, gathered the team and crew into the pit for a speech unaware that it was all about to go up in flames – literally. A small explosion ripped through the rear of the pit and within minutes it was engulfed.
Maldonado was today being branded a hero, not for winning the race and becoming the first Venezuelan in the history of the sport to do so, but for rescuing his 12-year-old cousin from the blaze.
It’s still not 100 per cent clear as to what started the fire but what is certain is that it cost a heck of a lot of damage.
Oh, and Alonso finished in second with Kimi Raikkonen finishing in third – in case you were wondering.
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