Di Resta and Hildebrand on track for Force India in Jerez

Paul di Resta and the American JR Hildebrand will drive for Force India in Formula 1 during the first winter tests in Jerez between December 1 and 3. The 23-year-old Scot is highly regarded by Mercedes as it’s his team in DTM and because he was linked to a race seat with their customer team, Force India, last January. Ultimately, Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil were retained in 2009.

Di Resta, who finished third in DTM this year and tested for McLaren at the end of last year, admits he is looking forward to getting back into an F1 car. He hopes to drive more with Force India. The Indian team has yet to confirm its driver lineup for 2010…

It has been a while since my last test at the wheel of an F1, but I have worked hard in the simulator and given my all in DTM, so I am confident. I will quickly gain speed. This is an exciting opportunity for me because F1 has always been my dream. I am aware that I have a lot to prove and that I need a bit more experience with single-seaters to secure a permanent seat. This is only the beginning of what I hope will be a very bright future with Force India.

Indy champion Hildebrand will join di Resta to share the VJM02 dispatched to Jerez. He will also spend a day on track as both drivers will alternate between morning and afternoon over the first two days.

“I am thrilled to get my first test in F1,” said the 21-year-old Californian. “I’ve heard so much about the performance of the cars and I know they will be faster and more responsive compared to any other single-seaters. I know it’s a big challenge, but I feel ready to face it. The goal is to learn the track and the car, then hopefully show my potential. Like any American, we don’t necessarily have the F1 culture, but anything so impressive demands respect.”