Di Resta fifth in Bahrain warm-upposted in F119 | 04 | 2013

BATHGATE'S PAUL DI RESTA was fifth-fastest in today's two free practice sessions ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix. And the 27-year-old Scot believes his Sahara Force India car is in the ideal spot to capitalise on the expected high tyre degradation.

"The more difficult it is with the tyres, the better it would be for us," admitted Di Resta, who finished the second session sandwiched between the two Ferraris of double world champ Fernando Alonso, and Felipe Massa.

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"I would certainly like to think that Q3 is where we are at the moment. I think I can say if we qualified anywhere in the top 10 I'm fairly sure that we'd be up for a repeat of a decent race."

Di Resta finished eight last weekend in China, and would have been higher up the results had he not been barged off the track on the opening lap by his team-mate Adrian Sutil.

Massa topped the opening session, before Australian Grand Prix winner Kimi Raikkonen was fastest in FP2 for Lotus.

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Jim McGill