Renault F1 driver Jolyon Palmer has defended Pastor Maldonado, following the Venezuelan’s departure from the team.
Palmer was set to race alongside Maldonado at the newly-renamed Renault F1, until sponsorship problems meant the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix race winner was forced out.
Kevin Magnussen was officially announced as his replacement at a team launch event in Paris last week.
During his five-year stint in F1, Maldonado picked up a reputation for his inconsistent driving but Palmer, who was the reserve driver at the Enstone-based outfit in 2015, believes the criticism does not reflect his abilities.
"He's not a bad driver. He won GP2 and he won a Grand Prix, remember," he said in an interview with The Guardian.
"Throughout last season he ran Romain Grosjean close a lot of the time. It was just that he made mistakes at important moments. That's where Romain had the advantage.
"But I think Kevin will present a stronger, more consistent challenge. He and Jenson [Button] were very even at McLaren. He's a known reference point for me."
