Pedal power for Di Restaposted in F113 | 03 | 2013
SCOTS FORMULA ONE ace Paul di Resta may be the fittest he's ever been as he heads into Sunday's Australian Grand Prix, but he's still no match of Olympic legend, Sir Chris Hoy.
The six-times Gold Medallist — in Australia to take part in the inaugural Mazda6 Celebrity Challenge — took to the Albert Park street circuit in Melbourne today alongside Di Resta and, not surprisingly, pipped the 26-year-old from Bathgate in a sprint to the finish.
"Meeting Chris and cycling the circuit with him has been the pretty perfect way to start the season proper," Di Resta, whose lap round the track was filmed by Sky to be shown as part of its pre-race build-up this weekend, explained.
"We always walk every circuit prior to the race, but this time we also decided to cycle it, so I managed to get an extra session of training in too!"
Di Resta may be well known for being quick on four wheel, but he's no slouch on two.
The Scot regularly meets up with his old mukka, former F1 world champ Jenson Button, outside his Monaco flat before heading off high into the mountains behind the millionaires' paradise and racking up close to 200kms on a training ride.
"Yeh, cycling's a massive part of my fitness regime," Di Resta continued, "but I'm not a patch on Chris. Have you seen the size of his thighs?
See more official photos of Di Resta and Sir Chris
"I knew they were big, because like every other Scot, I watched him winning his Gold Medals in London on TV. But to see them in real life: they're massive. They're about the size of my waist!"
Di Resta arrived in Melbourne for this weekend's Australian Grand Prix, the traditional F1 season opener, admitting he's in the best condition of his life, having raised the bar yet further from 12 months ago.
"I took a month off after the final race in Brazil, and popped home to Scotland to spend important time with my family and friends," the TW Steel-backed racer explained, "but all the time I was still training.
"Working with my trainer, Gerry Convy, I really pushed my boundaries a bit further over the winter months.
"I trained on 27 of the 31 days of January, which isn't bad. I even brought my cycling gear to Australia because we'll get some training done here, and next week in Malaysia too."
This season, his third racing in the highest echelon of world motorsport, marks the start of another phase in Di Resta's F1 career.
After two years bedding himself in at Sahara Force India, those around him sense he's ready to move to the next level.
"Yeh, I feel comfortable in F1 now," he said. "There's no denying it takes time to get used to everything which surrounds the sport.
"Last year was good, but I'm confident this year will be even better."
Di Resta: No surprises in F1 test
Last year was something of a mixed bag for the talented Scot, cousin to multiple IndyCar champ and Indy500 winner Dario Franchitti.
While a stunning fourth place under the streetlights of Singapore was the undoubted high point, his aquaplane into the tyres at the final corner of the Interlagos track in the final race of last season in Brazil was the low point.
"Unfortunately, most drivers experience parts of their season during which things tend just not to work exactly the way you want them too," Di Resta admitted.
"My problems coincided with the end of the season, and annoyingly, the image of me in the tyres is what was left in people's minds."
The final six races of 2012 were, for one reason or another, grands prix to forget for Di Resta.
A technical problem with the chassis of his Mercedes-powered Sahara Force India went undetected by the team for three races.
Then, by his own admission, in the final three races "nothing went right".
Di Resta unveils 2013 Sahara Force India car
Now though, after impressing during pre-season testing, where his new car posted a series of fast times in Spain at Jerez and Barcelona, he's confident good results are just round the corner.
"We as a team generally don't make predictions," he smiled, "but this year I'm definitely targeting a podium: and I believe the car's fast enough, and reliable enough, to achieve that.
"Of course, in many ways all the stats from pre-season testing goe out the window this weekend.
"This is when it really matters. It won't be until qualifying on Saturday that we really see the true pecking order on the timecharts.
"But we're confident we can get into Q3. And after that, it'll be case of making sure we get as far into the top 10 as we can."
Team leader Di Resta is rejoined this season by team-mate Adrian Sutil. The German had an enforced sabbatical last year after being found guilty of grievous bodily harm by a Munich court.
The first challenge Di Resta has is to beat Sutil. And the rivalry was fuelled when the German openly stated he has "nothing to be worried about" in the battle with the Scot.
"Yeh, you always want to beat your team-mate, first and foremost," Di Resta said more diplomatically. "Adrian's a good guy and we get on well together, but once we're in our cars, he's just another racing driver I need to beat."
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And for the Scot, this season has the potential to be pivotal in his F1 career.
After narrowly — some would say, controversially — missing out on coveted No2 seats at Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari — for tis season, Di Resta knows he has to deliver this year. But he strives to play down 2013's significance.
"As a racing driver, you always have to deliver at every race," he said. "Every session, every corner, you have to deliver. It's unrelenting, but that's the nature of the sport.
"This year will be no different to any other in terms of my commitment to the team.
"Obviously I'm a Sahara Force India racer this year, and my principal target is to deliver the very best for the team.
"But it's always nice to keep your image under the nose of the other team principals, because ultimately they're the guys who make the decisions about drivers. I'm definitely up for the fight right through this season."
The fact there are likely to be vacancies at Red Bull and Ferrari, and even possibly McLaren and Mercedes, for 2014 will not have been lost on Di Resta.
To many insiders, he would make the perfect partner to double world champ Fernando Alonso at Ferrari.
Naturally, Di Resta remains tightlipped on such speculation.
"The season hasn't even started yet, so it's definitely unfair to speak about next year," he said. "At the moment, I'm a Sahara force India driver and I'm committed to delivering the best I can for them."
As for next year? Well, if Di Resta delivers, a top seat definitely beckons.
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Jim McGill