F1: Best of Di Resta yet to come promises driver

The 23-year-old racer, who cut his teeth on the karting circuit at Larkhall before switching to single-seaters at Knockhill, is now just one step away from becoming a fully-fledged grand prix racer.

"Yeh, it's all a bit of a dream," Di Resta admitted yesterday at the official Force India announcement, held in the Glasgow HQ of whisky brand Whyte & Mackay, one of the companies in the drink empire of team owner and Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya.

"I've come a long way since my early days in karting, but I've always believed I would make it to Formula One. That's the dream I've always had and thanks to all the help I've had from my family, I'm now part of the Formula One family."

With ten DTM races dovetailed with 19 F1 grands prix, the young Scot is liable to be keeping in contact with his family by sending postcards from around the globe.

But the significance of Di Resta's position within the Silverstone-based Force India team, which gets its season underway with the opening grand prix in Bahrain on 14 March, should not be underestimated.

At a time when testing for new and up-and-coming F1 drivers is severely restricted, Di Resta will take part in the Friday practice session ahead of every grand prix.

He will be an integral part of the team, backed by its engine supplier Mercedes-Benz, as it bids to develop his F1 knowledge and experience, and mould him into a racer for the 2011 season.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for me," said Di Resta, cousin of double IndyCar champ Dario Franchitti. "To be joining a leading team like Force India is fantastic for me.

"This is another step towards me being on the starting grid for a Formula One Grand Prix. That's what I've dreamed about."

Di Resta — who beat Sebastian Vettel, already a grand prix winner with Red Bull, to the European Formula 3 Championship in 2006 — has already impressed the team with a blistering performance during his three-day test at Jerez in December.

And while many of the F1 teams are currently developing their cars at the first official test at Valencia, Silverstone-based Force India will not unveil its new car until later this month. Di Resta will drive the all-new 2010 racer for the first time back at Jerez on 19-20 February. But the Scot is hungry to take the next step and become a fully-fledged grand prix racer.

"I'm ready to race as soon as I get the opportunity," he explained. "I know the team have two very good drivers, Tonio (Liuzzi] and Adrian (Sutil], under contract for this season, but I'm looking at the long-term future with the team."

The promotion to a "race drive" could come sooner than anticipated. Last season the team's reserve driver Liuzzi was promoted into a race seat after fellow Italian Giancarlo Fisichella moved to Ferrari having powered his Force India to second place in the Belgian Grand Prix.

The Scot is highly regarded both within Mercedes – Di Resta is a member of the manufacturer's Young Driver Development Programme – and at McLaren, a team he impressed when he tested with them in 2008.

"I think he deserves the opportunity," Mercedes motorsport boss, Norbert Haug, said. "He did a good job when he tested in December and I think he is one to watch. He is good. Very good." And di Resta received praise from Force India owner, Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya.

"We are very proud to have someone of Paul's calibre joining the team as his potential is clear and he has the right attitude for making it in F1," commented Mallya.

And Di Resta, who aims to emulate Scots F1 legends Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart by being crowned world champion, is hungry to develop the partnership.

"I always had faith in my own ability. It's a very, very exciting time and I know there are big challenges ahead. But I have the belief that I can, and will succeed."