Di Resta 8th quickestposted in F106 | 05 | 2011
BATHGATE'S PAUL DI RESTA maintained his early-season Formula One form when he finished the second free practice ahead of this weekend's Turkish Grand Prix eighth-fastest.
The 25-year-old Scot, driving the daunting Istanbul Park circuit for the first time, clocked a best time of 1min 27.725secs, 1.269s behind the day's fastest time set by McLaren's Jenson Button.
And Di Resta, strongly linked this week with replacing seven-times world champ Michael Schumacher at Mercedes GP next season, again outperformed his Force India team-mate Adrian Sutil; the more experienced German could only manage 10th.
Afterwards Di Resta, who scored in both his opening grands prix and only finished one position outside the points in China three weeks ago, emphasised he has not exactly been starstruck by his peers on the grid.
"I have the ability to match anyone on track," the talented young Scot, who mastered today's tricky wet conditions, stated. "I've done that in the junior formulae with Sebastian (Vettel) and Lewis (Hamilton) and, at this level, I really believe that all the drivers are a much of a muchness."
As for whether he can emulate the pair and go on to become world champion remains to be seen. For starters, he will need a quicker car than Force India's.
"I think every driver thinks they can be world champion and I'm just grateful to have the opportunity," he said. "I remember dreaming as a kid of being F1 world champion. It wasn't like I acted it out or anything but it's long been a dream and still is.
"Whether it becomes a reality, you don't know but a lot of people haven't had this opportunity. As a driver I've never really set myself any goals. I just go out and do a job at every race, Turkey included."
Button maintained McLaren's pace which was seen last time out in Shanghai. The former world champ was 0.065s faster than the Mercedes of second-placed Nico Rosberg, with Hamilton third-quickest in his McLaren ahead of fourth-placed Schumacher.
Aussie Mark Webber was the quickest Red Bull in fifth, just ahead of Felipe Massa's Ferrari. Renault's Vitaly Petrov ended the day immediately ahead of Di Resta in seventh, with the Sauber of Sergio Perez sandwiched between the Scot and his Force India team-mate Sutil.
Current world champ and 2011 leader Sebastian Vettel was not able to run at all, the team realising that repairing the damage his car received when he crashed in the opening session would be impossible to do in time. That means the German will go into the rest of the weekend with no dry mileage at all.
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Jim McGill