Paul Di Resta's confidence is soaring to such an extent he has not ruled out a maiden Grand Prix victory before the end of this season.

Di Resta has yet to even step on to the podium in Formula One, but in the wake of his strongest start to a campaign, the Scot has no qualms in suggesting taking the chequered flag is not beyond him.

The 26-year-old equalled a career-best result in Bahrain three weeks ago when he finished fourth. But driving a Force India that, at present, is quite comfortably a top-10 challenger, Di Resta can sense something special may be on the horizon.

"I'm never going to talk down a win. As a racing driver it would be silly if I did," said Di Resta, speaking ahead of this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix.

"I said to somebody after the race in Bahrain that if I'd been told at the start of the year I'd get a fourth place, given the position we were in at the end of last year, I'd have taken their hand off.

"You say 'Yes, I'll have that' all day long, so to have achieved it at the fourth race, and with the potential it could have been more, you have to think you can do better. Over the next 15 grands prix there are lots of opportunities for us to do that, and after finishing fourth you aim higher. It has lifted everybody to do that."

Given the obvious strength of Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes and Lotus, Di Resta knows a victory is not going to fall into his lap. "Realistically it all needs to gel together to win, and it all needs to gel together to get on the podium," added Di Resta. But this year there will definitely be grands prix where we will be stronger than others because as we've shown heat helps us.

"And if you look at some races, particularly those where we have been very strong the past year, I believe we will make a step forward from where we were."

But as if Di Resta needed a reminder of the twists and turns that can unfold in F1, it arrived 18 minutes from the end of the second practice session. Coming out of the final corner, the left-rear tyre lost its tread, forcing him to pull over.

Although not a full blowout, as happened to Lewis Hamilton in his Mercedes and Felipe Massa's Ferrari in Bahrain, Pirelli have again been forced to investigate.

Overall, Di Resta finished 10th quickest, 1.3secs behind triple world champion Sebastian Vettel, with the Red Bull star 0.017secs ahead of home hero Fernando Alonso in his Ferrari.

Hamilton was sixth, with Jenson Button down in 12th in his McLaren and 1.5secs off the pace, whilst Max Chilton propped up the timesheet, the rookie Briton over four seconds adrift.