Williams driver Pastor Maldonado has heralded his pole position at the Spanish Grand Prix as a "great moment" after being promoted to the front of the grid by Lewis Hamilton's exclusion from qualifying.

14602 - Maldonado delighted with first pole

Hamilton was sent to the back of the grid after he stopped on track and the FIA found that McLaren had failed to fuel him sufficiently for an in-lap and a fuel sample. That decision handed Maldonado pole position late on Saturday night and the Williams driver said he was delighted by the result.

"We have been working so hard since last year, even to be here on pole I think ... it's a great moment for the team, a great moment for me - my first pole," he told Sky Sports. "So I hope to have a great race tomorrow, I will do my best, that will be a tough one but I will do my best."

Asked if he could attempt victory on Sunday, Maldonado said: "We have everything to do that, I will do my best. The team must be ready for every single situation we will find in the race and we will see. Motivation in the team is so high, even the mechanics are ready to do great pit stops, to do everything, so we are ready."