Di Resta hoping for change in fortune
Monday 11th July 2011
Paul di Resta is hopeful his luck will soon take a turn for the better after a promising British Grand Prix weekend descended into disappointment on Sunday.
After qualifying in a career-best sixth place on Saturday, hopes were high that the 25-year-old Force India driver would enjoy a strong run to a points-scoring finish, but they were dashed when a routine pit stop when badly awry.
Arriving in the pits just before mid-distance, Di Resta discovered the team were instead ready to receive team-mate Adrian Sutil, and there was a costly delay while the mechanics hustled to swap to the correct tyres.
The incident cost Di Resta around 25 seconds, a loss compounded just a couple of laps later when he damaged his front wing in a tangle with Sebastien Buemi as he attempted to overtake the Toro Rosso driver into the Brooklands corner.
The two incidents conspired to produce a 15th-placed finish at the flag, but Di Resta refused to be too downbeat after the race, insisting the team can bounce back at the German Grand Prix in a fortnight.
"I think we can. It wasn't a fluke lap [in qualifying]," he said.
"We got into qualifying three on performance and we did a good job. As long as we can do that and do a good job at Nurburgring, we'll be satisfied.
"Hopefully our luck will turn and we'll get a good result soon.
"We are seeing progression in the car. At Germany we'll have some updates coming, so we're positive that hopefully they'll work.
"We're trying to drive on as a team and we're learning with these mistakes that we've made. We'll certainly build upon them."
The rookie Scottish driver has been one of the revelations of the 2011 season, scoring points in his first two grands prix and regularly getting the better of his highly-rated team-mate in qualifying.
Yet for all the plaudits, there is a creeping concern over his failure to finish in the points at the last seven races - although no blame could be apportioned to the driver for the pit-lane error that proved his undoing on Sunday afternoon.
"It's quite a disappointing end to a good weekend," Di Resta continued.
"I suppose the positive was our performance in qualifying, but there's been a bit of confusion on the team's behalf in the pit lane.
"A miscommunication on the radio, whatever it was, but there wasn't a set of tyres ready in the pit lane.
"But you can't be frustrated because then you take it out on somebody. You've just got to understand this is motor racing."
Di Resta was happy to put his clash with Buemi down as a racing incident, although unsurprisingly felt the weight of the blame nevertheless rested on the Swiss.
"He didn't leave me any room," he said. "We were racing. He knew I was alongside him but turned in.
"I put it down to a racing incident, probably on both accounts. Probably I was a bit too far in there but at the same time he knew I was alongside him.
"When you get the option to overtake, you're going to do it and that was my best opportunity to do it."
Credit: ESPN STAR (www.espnstar.com)
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