Paul di Resta believes age perhaps prevented the Williams Martini Racing team choose him for the final seat on the Formula 1 grid in 2018 after Sergey Sirotkin was finally confirmed on Tuesday.
The Scot had put himself into contention for the drive to replace the retired Felipe Massa thanks to his one-off drive replacing the ill Brazilian in the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2017, but he was ultimately overlooked for the drive in favour of Sirotkin, while Robert Kubica has also come in to replace him as their reserve driver.
Despite impressing in his drive in Hungary after first driving the FW40 during Qualifying, the former Sahara Force India F1 Team racer’s career in Formula 1 looks to be in danger of being over with just fifty-nine starts to his name despite being a long-term protégé of Mercedes-Benz.
“It was within touching distance again though of getting the race drive, and it’s not happened,” said di Resta to Crash.net. “Whether my age is against me now, I don’t know.
“I enjoyed driving that race. I tried to represent the team as best I could with the limited time that I had. Ultimately it puts you back in the framework in some way.”
Although his Formula 1 may be over, Di Resta still could find himself in FIA Formula E in the future, and tested with the Panasonic Jaguar Racing team in the test at Marrakesh last Sunday, and would consider a move into the championship, which could happen when Mercedes-Benz make their debut in it in 2019.
“As a driver you have to look after number one and that’s me personally,” said di Resta. “This is a championship that is just underneath the level of Formula 1, and as a professional driver, that’s what excites you.
“I think any professional driver at the level I am at, you have to be [interested]. I’m definitely very open and would enjoy racing it I think.”
