Sutil, Hulkenberg vie for Force India race seat

Adrian Sutil has revealed his "first contact" about the 2012 season will be Force India.

The 28-year-old German has always raced in F1 for the Silverstone based team, through its various guises since 2007 as Spyker, Midland and now Vijay Mallya-led Force India.

But for the 2012 season, with Mallya openly saying he wants Paul di Resta to stay on board, Sutil is regarded as being in direct competition for the other seat with Nico Hulkenberg.

"He did very well at Williams last year and deserves another chance," Sutil, referring to countryman Hulkenberg, is quoted as saying by Auto Bild Motorsport.

24-year-old Hulkenberg is currently Force India’s reserve and Friday practice driver but he wants to move into the race seat next year.

"I have settled in well at Force India and I definitely have a realistic chance of racing again in 2012," he said, "and even some other teams are showing interest."

Sutil, meanwhile, is also keen to stay.

"We (the team) are well on our way, we are currently the fifth best team and with an extremely small budget," he said. "Why should I go?

"Of course I hear things about me (going) somewhere else, but I’m a loyal person and my first contact will be Force India," added Sutil, who carries the sponsorship of the German computer brand Medion.