Formula 1: Paul Di Resta fit and raring to go

PAUL di Resta heads into the new Formula 1 season fitter and happier than he has ever been in his life.That is primarily due to a change in trainer, with Di Resta now with David Coulthard’s former personal fitness guru Gerry Convy.

Di Resta’s fellow Scot has transformed his training regime, and with it there is a new attitude and approach going into the 2012 campaign.

Di Resta has spent the last month at his home in Monaco working out with Coulthard, McLaren’s Jenson Button and another Briton in DTM driver Jamie Green. The announcement came on the day the Scot was the first this year to drive a lap in a new car as Force India unveiled the VJM05 for a shakedown test at Silverstone.

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“I’m feeling more comfortable than at the start of last season, which comes with stability and working with the team,” said Di Resta, who finished a creditable 13th in the standings on his F1 debut last year. “I’ve put in a lot of hours in training in January, upping the fitness level that little bit more, and I must say I’m ready for the challenge. I’m looking forward to getting back into it.

“Working with Gerry has been great. I felt I needed a change to get to the next level. He has a schedule in place which is all based upon how I feel, and it’s very flexible.

“We speak at 8am, go through how I’m feeling, what’s the best way forward, and then I send the results in at 8pm. He monitors that, we’ve done some fitness tests with it, and the fitness level has definitely increased a lot because of that.

“Gerry has been pushing me on and I feel fitter now than a year ago. I’m probably training three or four hours a day at the moment, and I’m enjoying doing it, whereas before I never used to do it as much. I hope it will help me in the car this year. I certainly feel a lot better for it, and even if it doesn’t make me any faster, I feel more happier in life than I’ve ever been.”

Di Resta will be partnered by Nico Hulkenberg after the team opted to dispense with the services of Adrian Sutil, the younger German stepping up from his role as test driver last year.

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