Di Resta eager for Force India stay
Friday 22nd July 2011
Paul di Resta has stated his desire to remain with Force India for next season as he looks to further cement his Formula One career.
As yet, Di Resta claims he is in the dark as to whether he will be retained by the team, in particular in light of recent frustrating performances.
However, team owner Vijay Mallya confirmed to Press Association Sport at the British Grand Prix that Di Resta's contract is "for longer than this season".
The belief is Force India have an option on the 25-year-old Scot for next season, which has yet to be taken up, and why Di Resta is maybe unsure of his position.
Given Mallya further stated he "would be foolish to let go of a star", and Di Resta "is certainly worth every penny" of his deal with the team, it appears a given he will be at Force India in 2012.
"There are many things you hear, but you don't know. I really don't know where I am next year," said Di Resta.
"Of course, I'd like to stay here if this is an opportunity. I came in here with a long-term view.
"Naturally, I'd love to be with a bigger team battling up at the front, that's my ambition, but Force India is an up-and-coming team.
"This year has been more difficult than we thought. We've not picked up from where we left off last year.
"But sometimes things go down before they go up, and you take one step back to go two steps forward.
"So I certainly hope we can build a future in F1. That's always been the intention."
After making a superb start in F1 by scoring points in his first two races, opportunities have gone begging since then.
It has been a case of situations coming together at certain times, but not all at the same time, resulting in a run of seven grands prix without a point - such as at Silverstone when Di Resta qualified a brilliant sixth, only for circumstances to conspire against him in the race, eventually winding up 15th.
Ahead of this weekend's German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, Di Resta added: "It all needs to work out perfectly for it to happen for us.
"Some of the bigger teams can make a mistake, but their performance gets them out of trouble, whereas in the midfield pack you need to be spot on.
"Racing is not as straightforward in terms of strategies etc. There are different factors you can look at, and there have been plenty of points potentially.
"The good thing is the speed has improved and our qualifying performance has been there.
"Now if we can just get a weekend where we run relatively normally, then we can pick up points."
Credit: ESPN STAR (www.espnstar.com)
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