F1: Di Resta ready for 'biggest race of career'

Bathgate's Paul di Resta will make his British Formula One Grand Prix debut this weekend in front of a sell-out 90,000 crowd at Silverstone, and the 25-year-old admits it will be the biggest race of his career.

"Yeah, there's no denying this is probably going to be my biggest race of the year," admitted Di Resta, who heads to the Northamptonshire track having experienced a run of tough races which have produced no championship points.

"To race in front of your home fans at any time is fantastic, but to do it for the first time in a Formula One car is a dream come true.

"I know the race is a sell-out, and on top of that I've a whole load of family and friends making the trip to see the race. So it's going to be a very, very special weekend for me.

"It's also a big weekend for the team because the Force India headquarters is based just across the road from the circuit, so there will also be a big number of people from there at the race over the weekend.

"Valencia was tough, because again we didn't score the points or get the result I believe we deserved. Much of the cause of that was down to Nico Hulkenberg crashing my race car during Friday's Free Practice. As a result, I only got 10 minutes in the car on the Friday which left me and the team playing catch-up.

"This weekend though, I'm in the car for both Friday sessions, which will allow me to not only build up my confidence on the track, but it will ensure everyone in the team has all the necessary information to give us the best possible chance of scoring points.

"If the car performs the way it has over the past few races, then I firmly believe we can get into the top 10 shoot-out in qualifying on Saturday. And if we do that, then I'm confident we can get back in amongst the points on my British Grand Prix debut."

And the Scot - who won his "home" leg of the German Touring Car Championship last year at Brands Hatch - admits he has good memories of Silverstone.

"The last time I raced there was in the British Formula Renault Championship around 2003-04," he continued, "but probably the biggest thing I've achieved at Silverstone was McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Awards. It was also the first place I drove a modern Formula One car."

But he also highlighted he has limited knowledge of the all-new Silverstone track, which was redesigned for last year's British Grand Prix, and has been reconfigured again this season to incorporate the new pit complex and start-finish straight.

"It is all new," he laughed, "but that's actually maybe a good thing. We're all going to have to learn the new track.Effectively, what had been the very fast, old and famous first sector of Silverstone is now going to be the final sector.

"Now it will be the very last sector which will be the fast part, so it will be interesting to see how the drivers' approach will be in qualifying, and how the tyres will last in that final sector.

"My targets for this weekend? First I want to get in to Q3; then I think we have a genuinely realistic opportunity of scoring good points. It will be a tough challenge, I think, but it's one we're capable of meeting, especially if we have the car working the way we want it."

Meanwhile, current world champ Sebastien Vettel, the racer di Resta beat to the European Formula 3 Championship, heads into the Silverstone race with an already dominant 77-point lead over the McLaren of his nearest challenger Jenson Button.

But the Red Bull driver, winner of six of the opening eight races, remains adamant he's taking nothing for granted as the season heads towards its midpoint.

"In terms of mindset I try to have the same approach as last year," the German explained. "I think last year we had a good start but many things going wrong at some time, mistakes here and there. Also I did mistakes.

"If I compare this year to last year, the way I approach races there's not much difference. It would be wrong to feel too comfortable or secure. It's still a long, long way."

Button meanwhile, whose best finish in his home race, is determined to break his winning duck at Silverstone this weekend.

"It is nice to be here at Silverstone," he admitted. "I haven't even got on the podium in an F1 car, so that would be my first aim and obviously it is one you want to win.

"We all want to fight for the championship. We all want to win Monaco and all want to win our home GP. It is one not achieved yet so (it is] one I am fighting for."