First there was Lotus CEO Matthew Carter blaming the media for the negativity surrounding F1, even to the extent of claiming that Bernie Ecclestone has been influenced by what he had read, hence his disparaging remarks about the sport, including the claim that it is "s**t".

Then came deputy team principal Federico Gastaldi's claim, in reaction to comments made by Emersion Fittipaldi, that it is the media to blame for the fact that many of today's drivers appear devoid of personality.

Now, Pastor Maldonado has taken aim at the boys of the press, accusing them of manufacturing his incident-prone reputation.

"Yes, I was responsible on some occasions," he told Brazil's Globo Esporte, weeks after a performance in Hungary that saw him incur more penalties than an England-Germany football match, thereby bringing his penalty points total to six, half-way to a one race ban.

"I remember an experience that made me laugh," he continued. "This year in China, when Jenson hit the back of me, everyone said I was to blame, because whenever I'm involved everyone says I'm to blame.

"There is always pressure from the media, whether I'm right or wrong," he added. "There is always something that tries to conceal my talent and tarnish my image.

"Imagine if it was my car in the crash in Austria," he said, referring to the first lap crash involving Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso. "If I was involved, it would be a big scandal and there would be huge media pressure.

"This kind of thing is normal between drivers in F1," he insisted. "Everyone is competing, everybody wants to gain positions, they all want to do their best. Unfortunately it has happened to me not once, but on several occasions."

Seems like time for a poll.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Canuck, 15/08/2015 21:07

"I am sure if Mr E had his way he would have at least 60% of the drivers with the skills of Maldonados. Then F1 could have the entertainment value of NASCAR. However the betting in the UK would not want to cover F1 anymore"

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2. Posted by gturner38, 14/08/2015 23:32

"pastor, if you crash into enough things, you lose any hope of getting the benefit of the doubt. In the case of the incident with Button, it may not have been exclusively Maldonado's fault, but he did change his line a little while Button was looking for a way by. Furthermore, he wouldn't have been anywhere near the McLaren had he managed to find the pitlane rather than ending out pointed at a marshaling post behind the wall."

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3. Posted by Kkiirmki, 14/08/2015 21:20

""There is always something that tries to conceal my talent and tarnish my image"...??? Don't you mean expose my bank balance (as in, that's the only reason you're in F1) and show my ineptitude. "

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4. Posted by Tweek, 14/08/2015 17:32

"Well at least this time he didn't accuse someone on his own team of undoing bits on his car! F1 is enriched by drivers who have earned their positions with skill, guile, and cunning. F1's image is tarnished by those without the skill to drive the car effectively, or the moral fiber to own up to their own mistakes. "

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5. Posted by nonickname, 14/08/2015 14:01

"Who cares...sometimes the bull fighter wins,sometimes the bull wins. We go to see the competition."

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6. Posted by alejandro.torres.1991, 14/08/2015 13:34

"'Seems like time for a poll.' This also looks like one answer getting 100% of the votes :D"

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7. Posted by stoney, 14/08/2015 9:33

"I just checked some F1 websites on their verdict of the collision with Button in China. I can only find reports that Button admitted his mistake, calling it a "misjudgement".

That, of course, includes this website, who can only be said to have made a scathing attack on Maldonado, praising him for great in-race overtaking and going an extra step vs. others of even quoting Button's tweet of apology afterwards...

Damn you, media.
</sarcasm>"

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Maldonado blames media for bad reputation

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