Stewart suggests Di Resta's Formula One future could lie at Ferrari

Saturday 12 May 2012

Sir Jackie Stewart has tipped Paul Di Resta for a move to Ferrari if the Scottish driver maintains his current progress in Formula One.

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The three-time former world champion has been impressed with Di Resta's ability to extract the best he can from his Force India car ever since he joined the Grand Prix ranks last season and reckons the 26 year-old is in prime position for elevation. Speaking ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona tomorrow, Stewart said: "Paul would be a very good target for Ferrari.

"But he has to show himself to be faster than his [Force India] team-mate [Nico Hulkenberg], because he's the only man driving the same car, with the same tyres and the same engine."Stewart is confident that Di Resta possesses the requisite qualities to thrive in partnership with Ferrari's double world champion, Fernando Alonso. "Alonso probably has the best tool kit of knowledge, mind and physicality [of any] racing driver in the world today," Stewart said."Even if you are not going to win races with Force India, unless there are unusual circumstances, if you are beating other cars which are perceived to be better and more heavily financed, that is where you make your name in F1. And Paul has done very well so far."Mercedes is another option for Di Resta, considering how he flourished when he was in their ranks in the DTM Series, while surging to the title in the 2010 season. And, with Michael Schumacher increasingly looking as if he recognises that his comeback to the sport was a mistake, there is likely to be an opening there in 2013, which might pave the way for a partnership between Nico Rosberg and Di Resta.In practice at the Circuit de Catalunya yesterday, Di Resta was 15th fastest in the afternoon session. McLaren's Jenson Button set the pace with a best time of one minute 23.399 seconds but little more than a second separated half the field. Red Bull's double world champion and overall leader Sebastian Vettel was second in both sessions, with Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton behind him in third and fourth in the afternoon.Alonso, who gave his home fans what they wanted to see with the top time of 1:24.430 in the morning, was 14th after lunch. Brazilian team-mate Felipe Massa was 11th.Alonso is looking for big improvements in his car after tests in Italy last week ahead of the first European race of the season.

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Stewart suggests Di Resta's Formula One future could lie at Ferrari

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