Di Resta for Mercedes?posted in F108 | 08 | 2011

    BATHGATE'S PAUL DI RESTA could be poised for a switch to the Mercedes GP team for the start of next season after Michael Schumacher admitted he is considering returning to retirement next year, despite having a contract for 2012.

    While the 42-year-old seven-times Formula One World Champion has struggled after coming out of retirement to join Mercedes, Di Resta has shone in his Force India racer.

    Schumacher currently partners fellow German Nico Rosberg in the Mercedes works team, which evolved from the Brawn GP team which took Jenson Button to the 2009 world title.

    But while 25-year-old Di Resta has strung together a series of impressive race performances, most recently finishing a career-best seventh last time out in the Hungarian Grand Prix, Schumacher, by his own admission, has been a shadow of his former best.

    "I arrived at Mercedes with a specific task: not winning at all costs but to grow the team," Schumacher, whose form this season has been lacklustre at best, admitted today.

    "If anything, I am the problem: it is a fact that I am a bit more relaxed than before and I do not know if my mindset is right for this team. At some point we will evaluate whether I continue or stop."

    Di Resta, acknowledged as the most talented young driver on the F1 grid, is known to be attracting the attention of a number of the bigger teams.

    But the Scot, previously a member of the manufacturer's Young Driver Development Programme, has a long history of association with Mercedes.

    The car he drove to the 2006 Euro F3 Championship — beating his then team-mate, and now current F1 world champ, Sebastian Vettel along the way — was powered by Mercedes.

    And while Vettel switched directly to F1, Di Resta moved to the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) with Mercedes. After four years of pushing for the title, the Scot lifted the title for the German manufacturer last year.

    It's also no coincidence that Di Resta's current Force India F1 car is also powered by Mercedes.

    Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug has long been an admirer of the young Scot, labelling his early season performances as "exceptional".

    And Di Resta, currently enjoying his mid-season break, admitted earlier this year he was happy to be associated as a potential replacement for Schumacher.

    "Obviously I am close to Mercedes," the Scot said. "They have had a huge influence on my career and I'm very grateful to them. It is great that people are talking about me and Mercedes, but at the same time I have got to keep progressing.

    "Force India have given me a great opportunity and delivered what they said they would. Hopefully I am delivering what they hoped I would deliver for the team."

    At the same time, Di Resta's manager, Anthony Hamilton, said he felt Mercedes would be considering him for a potential future drive.

    "I would like to think there is an interest," Hamilton said. "We've not spoken to anyone but for sure Paul is a Mercedes protégé and Norbert has said some very complimentary things about him.

    "I'm just really proud of him. He has made a fantastic start and more importantly he has done it in the right way. He has not over-driven and delivered points. Certainly he will make a great replacement for someone at a top team."

    Keep up-to-date with all the latest news by following us on twitter.com/scotcars

    Jim McGill

     

User Comments

Login or register to post comments.