Senna proud of record despite getting the axe

Bruno Senna said he was proud of being the most consistent points scorer for Williams this season when reacting to the team’s announcement that he was losing his seat for 2013.

The Brazilian, who finished 16th in the drivers’ championship with 31 points in his first full season of racing, was replaced by Williams test driver Valtteri Bottas. The Finn will join Venezuela’s Pastor Maldonado next season.

“Since the beginning of my programme with Williams I accepted that I had to share the car with Valtteri Bottas in 15 Fridays as a part of his preparation for a likely debut in 2013,” Senna said yesterday.

“It has been extremely satisfying to be the team’s most regular points scorer and for me to demonstrate my pace in all 20 races, added Senna who scored points in 10 of them.

“I have learned a lot and improved considerably through the season.

“I have had a relatively short career so far and feel as though I have come a long way in just a few years.”

Maldonado brings substantial sponsorship with him from his country’s state oil company PDVSA and is also a race winner after his pole-to-flag victory in Spain this year, former champions Williams’ first triumph since 2004.

He has proved accident prone, however, leading to suggestions that his financial muscle rather than his ability spared him the axe at the expense of Senna, nephew of the late triple world champion Ayrton Senna.

That suggestion was dismissed by Williams executive director Toto Wolff yesterday.

“I would rather have someone with big speed and a heavy right leg who makes mistakes rather than someone who can’t get that fast, you either have it or you don’t,” he said.

“Pastor has learned a lot from his mistakes which is difficult for a driver and I think we’ll see a much improved driver next year.”

Kovalainen’s offer

Finnish driver Heikki Kovalainen has offered his services to the Lotus team should the English outfit fail to agree a new contract with Frenchman Romain Grosjean, reports said yesterday.

“Kovalainen wants the place of Grosjean, team-mate of Kimi Raikkonen and the new contract with Grosjean has not yet been finalised,” Finnish TV channel MTV3 revealed.

Kovalainen, 31, failed to register a single point in 2012 behind the wheel of a Caterham-Renault and his only Grand Prix victory in 109 starts came in Hungary in 2008.

He began as a test driver with Renault in 2004 before making his GP debut in 2007 and also had two seasons with McLaren where he was even-tually replaced by former world champion Jenson Button for the 2010 season.

Grosjean made his F1 debut in 2012 and finished eighth in the standings with 96 points, picking up podium finishes at Bahrain, Canada and Hungary although he was also involved in several spectacular accidents.