Amid the swirl of high-profile movement in Formula One, involving Lewis Hamilton switching from McLaren to Mercedes for the 2013 campaign and Sergio Perez joining Jenson Button at the British team, spare a thought for Paul Di Resta, who could find himself stuck in neutral, despite the best result of his grand prix career in Singapore, last month.

It might be difficult for outsiders to understand the labyrinthine political intrigue which surrounds the pit and paddock, but the reality is that Di Resta was in contention for drives next season at both Mercedes and McLaren and has had the door slammed in his face, for reasons which have little to do with racing talent or results, but boil down to who can bring most money to the negotiating table.

Di Resta was a strong candidate to replace Michael Schumacher at Mercedes, but Hamilton's decision to join them has stymied that aspiration. Worse still, when it seemed he could fill the gap at McLaren, Perez emerged from left field with the financial backing of his Mexican compatriot, Carlos Slim, the world's richest man – ahead of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett – with an estimated personal fortune of $69bn. He is reported to have lobbed £50m in Perez's direction to assist his climb up the F1 ladder. None of which is to denigrate his driving ability, but simply to suggest that, when F1 resorts to these machinations, it feels less like sport and more like to an episode of Dallas.

To his credit, Di Resta's focus remains on accumulating points for Force India in Japan this weekend, even though he privately recognises he is employed by grand prix's equivalent of Aston Villa or Stoke City in Barclays Premier League terms.

"Of course, my future is important but, right now, it's the results which are the most important thing," said the Scot, who is one point in front of Schumacher in the title rankings. "Historically, Suzuka has never been our best [circuit], but hopefully this time the team has something up its sleeve.

"I think we have been pretty consistent on most tracks this season, and we are quietly confident we can perform well this weekend. I certainly believe we can pull some rabbits out of the hat in Japan and Korea [over the next two weekends], but we know that we have to keep working hard and pushing all the way."

In terms of long-term ambitions, Di Resta has the security of a guaranteed seat at Force India until the end of 2013. Yet anyone who has met this steely character will be conscious that he will not be satisfied with a scenario where he is bursting a gut to finish ninth or 10th in most events, and particularly considering the maturity and technical expertise which he exhibited during his sterling effort in Singapore.

What are his options? With Perez on the move, there is a vacancy at Sauber, but Di Resta might reasonably ask why he would swap one mid-table organisation for another which is not going to be in championship contention any time soon. Some have linked the Bathgate man with Ferrari, citing the numerous problems experienced by Felipe Massa in recent months but, while nothing should be ruled out, and especially given recent developments, Di Resta said earlier this week: "A little mouse whispered in my ear that Schumacher could go back to Ferrari." Regardless of how crazy that suggestion might seem, the 43-year-old German is revered around Maranello and sells more baseball caps than anybody else.

Ultimately, it is an unsatisfactory impasse that Scotland's sole F1 driver finds himself in, and there is little prospect of it being changed in the months ahead. He may simply have to wait for the likes of Schumacher and Red Bull's Mark Webber to quit the cockpit but it must be frustrating for someone who spends his life travelling as fast as possible to be left loitering in the slow lane at a pivotal stage of his career.