F1: Maldonado to debut new Williams in Barcelona

Williams have confirmed that Pastor Maldonado will give the team’s new Renault-powered FW35 its track debut following its much-anticipated launch at next week's test at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya in Spain.

The Grove-based squad, who finished eighth in the constructors’ standings last year, are the only team yet to run their 2013 car, having chosen to use a development version of their 2012 machine, the FW34, at the first pre-season test of the year in Jerez, Spain.

Maldonado, who won last year’s Spanish Grand Prix for Williams, will hand driving duties over to rookie team mate Valtteri Bottas on day two of the four-day session. The two drivers will then split the final two days of running, with each getting a further morning and afternoon in the car.

The Barcelona session is the second of three pre-season tests and runs from February 19-22. The final test - also taking place in Barcelona - runs from February 28-March 3.