Formula One: Paul di Resta ready for upgrade

FORCE India deputy team principal Bob Fernley is hopeful Paul di Resta’s stirring result in Bahrain will provide a base on which the team can build for the remainder of the season.

Di Resta produced a superb drive to finish sixth on Sunday. That equalled the Scot’s best result of his Formula 1 career and has instilled confidence ahead of the start of the European run of races, which start in Barcelona on 13 May.

In particular, as the Silverstone-based team are due to introduce a significant upgrade for next week’s test in Mugello, they hope that will propel them further forward. “Our plan heading into the first four races was to use good race craft and good strategy with a car that perhaps wasn’t where we wanted it to be,” said Fernley. “I think we delivered quite well. We’re probably better off than we thought in some ways, but we still have to deliver the next bit.”

Di Resta, who is due to drive on the second of the three days in the first in-season test since 2008, said: “After what Sauber did in Malaysia [with Sergio Perez finishing second], it keeps them in our sights. If we now put performance on this car, then we can get by them.”