Best finish helps di Resta push for ’bigger team’

Paul di Resta on Sunday admitted his best-ever formula one result in Singapore will not hurt his chances of stepping up to a better team.

Force India openly wants to keep hold of the talented Scot, but di Resta has been linked with the potentially vacant seats at the McLaren and Mercedes teams.

"I would like to think I am capable of stepping up to one of the bigger teams," he said on Sunday after finishing fourth in Singapore; his best result since debuting last year.

"But I’m not getting carried away," he is quoted by the Telegraph. "When the time is right hopefully someone will step up and give me the chance to do that because I want to be in a car that wins races week in week out."

Force India is powered by Mercedes engines, and the German carmaker played a big role in his formative career, taking him to the DTM championship in 2010.

"I have worked with manufacturer teams before and there is a big difference," said di Resta. "But my loyalties lie here for the moment so I will remain focused on the job in hand."

The 26-year-old recently split with his manager Anthony Hamilton and signed with the Jenson Button-linked stable headed by Richard Goddard.

Di Resta admits the current period of speculation is hard to deal with.

"It is what it is," he said. "It is a difficult position to be in but I have people taking care of that side of things for me. I’m happier than I ever have been with what’s going on around me.

"It feels like things are clicking into place and long may that continue."