Impressive Performance from Williams Stand In Di Resta in Hungary

[Paul Jeffrey]

Late call up and lack of running aside, Paul Di Resta produced an impressive display for Williams on Saturday afternoon in Hungary as he makes an unexpected debut for the team.

With Felipe Massa having to withdraw from the remainder of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend due to illness, it was left to Williams reserve driver and Sky Sports F1 TV pundit Paul Di Resta to dust off his Formula One overalls and step into the void left by the Brazilian's unexpected absence.

Having never driven a 2017 specification Formula One car before, nor having been in active Formula One competition since 2013, Di Resta would turn his first wheel in anger during the opening minutes of qualifying today, performing superbly considering his starting point and eventually splitting Sauber duo Marcus Erickson and Pascal Wehrlein for P19, just two places and seven tenths off team mate Lance Stroll.

“I’m not going to lie, I was scared, nervous, anxious,” he revealed. “I've not driven one of these cars for three and a half years, apart from ten laps I did in a 2014 car and then you get thrown into qualifying which is the deepest of the deep I think - it's like being thrown off a cliff and seeing how you can fight for survival.”
​

Despite the unexpected nature of the call to drive this weekend, Di Resta admits acclimatising to Formula One machinery again has been a gradual process, with plenty of potential still to unlock for both car and driver:

“Honestly I felt quite comfortable quite quickly,” he said. “When I let go of the pit limiter out there I just built myself up slowly and was improving by half a second a lap, so there's lots of potential there.

“Ultimately the team prepared me as best they could in an hour and a half. I was very safe in the high speed [corners], safe in the exits and I didn't really use the rear tyres as you should.

“I got into a reasonable rhythm, but I was a bit too early on the brakes, equally the car was rotating a bit too quick for me in certain corners so I wasn't quite taking enough out of it. Even the throttle stroke is so much longer than I'm used to [in DTM] so it was a case of how much can you push the throttle without spinning the rears up with all the power.

“It's kind of just getting your bearings again.”
​

Keeping the car away from the final place on the grid, and having now gained valuable experience in a modern Formula One car, Di Resta will be looking to make up ground come race day tomorrow and prove to the Grand Prix world all over again the race craft that won him eight victories and a DTM championship in 2010.

“The race is a very different story [to qualifying], the tyres… I don't know where they are, I’ve never driven the car on high fuel, so that will be another shock into Turn 1. Even doing a pit stop, I stopped in the box at the end of the session and they said ‘yes, you stopped on your marks’ but there's going to be about 16 people there tomorrow to try to get your way around.

"Of course you want to go forward, want to do what you can but I've got a rate of development and also got to see how my fitness is over the course of 70 laps in the heat...

"I've got to get my head around the steering wheel - that's the main thing. Get my head around the formation lap because obviously the team can't speak to me and run me through that. It's a list the length of my two arms...

“It's a whole different ball game when you're sitting on the grid and the lights go out because you mind goes blank, so it is just about running through the process, trying to do the fewest mistakes possible as that's what will make the difference between if I enjoy it or not.”​

Paul Di Resta will start his 59th Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon, the first for Williams and his first Grand Prix since the conclusion of the 2013 season.

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Did Di Resta impress you in qualifying this afternoon? Can the Scotsman fight for higher places come the race on Sunday? Did Formula One discard the driver too soon in his career, and does he deserve a driver full time in your opinion? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[GianmarcoFiduci]

Di Resta just shows us another example of good drivers who aren't able to drive in F1 because of the paydrivers. We all know that paydrivers are important for the little teams, but it is also true that they "steal" racing seats to drivers who are a lot better, and can assure some great racing. Anyway, very happy for Di Resta, but for the reasons that i've said before, he won't return on an F1 sadly.

 

[CC]

Paul Di Resta
Should have ever left F1 , was a very sad day when he did ,
the guy has so much talent

 

[Shap]

Paul Di Resta
Should have ever left F1 , was a very sad day when he did ,
the guy has so much talent

True, but I could say also that about a lot of other drivers that left unfinished business in F1.

 

[CC]

True, but I could say also that about a lot of other drivers that left unfinished business in F1.

Like Pasta , he simply in my eyes has zero business to do in F1 never did ,
money bought the seat nothing else ,
yes he won a GP , but even a blind squirrel will find a nut now and again ,
But Di Resta to me was just class ,
I loved his attitude to the press , he talked really nice , and his driving was exceptional .

 

[James Cook]

I like Paul di Resta as a person and a driver. It was sad to see him fail to get a drive and leave F1 as I always felt he had something to offer. Maybe not the most exciting talent but a very solid, dependable performer that should have found a home at any mid-pack team. Alas, money is the name of the game in F1.

Really pleased to see him show what he can do today. Very impressive.

 

[samcar304]

Pauly D with a great showing!!!

 

[Quofeous]

TBH today is really a slap on the wrist for Williams in my opinion Di Resta is there reserve driver but has had no track time in these new cars or even saying that not had track time in a f1 car for 3 years then get thrown into quli, i have nothing against paul Di Resta but it has danger written all over it , he did a stunning job today considering, But he should have had track time in these cars earlier in the season because coming into a race like this in some ways very poor form on Williams.
BUT Good luck for the race Paul Di Resta

 

[Reiche]

It would have been a smart move (Mercedes-POV) if they have the seat to Wehrlein. I think this would have been a better result for Williams.

Anyway, good luck to Paul di Resta

 

[4 8 15 16 23 42 108]

It would have been a smart move (Mercedes-POV) if they have the seat to Wehrlein. I think this would have been a better result for Williams.

But Wehrlos has put out insitting performances this season.

 

[GallardoGT]

Very cool how he fits into the Williams with his 1.85m.

 

[mopro]

Di Resta just shows us another example of good drivers who aren't able to drive in F1 because of the paydrivers. We all know that paydrivers are important for the little teams, but it is also true that they "steal" racing seats to drivers who are a lot better, and can assure some great racing. Anyway, very happy for Di Resta, but for the reasons that i've said before, he won't return on an F1 sadly.

I don't think pay drivers are "stealing" anything. Without the money they bring from their sponsors, there won't be any little teams to drive for. It is just a sad reality that not all the talented young race drivers got a chance to race in F1 due to various reasons.

 

[oorjit07]

Di Resta was a terrible team player while at Force India, but I can't deny that he was/is very talented, though I rate guys like Perez, Hulk, Ocon, Wehrlein and Vandoorne higher than him.

 

[gamer19]

When he lose F1 seat(s) back in 2013 I was like "what a hell, this must be some joke".
To me he was among those drivers who gets most of the equipent he got into his hands.
But, like I recently said, he was somewhat like Heidfeld or Hulkenberg "too nice" for this Serengeti national park wilderness ...called Formula One world championship.
To ease my pain (in some extention) I told myself it's cause he's too high for todays F1.

Another thing...
and since we amazingly didn't get that topic to write about here, I wonder what's really happening with Massa, he doesn't look as a reliable investment for whole (2018) season. Feeling ill ? Maybe bad memories at this track brought something back. Don't get me wrong I love Massa, he is among nicest but this is so so unusual in world of high professional F1.
He was getting his standing ovations, back there in Brasil, anyway... I would prefer to see DiResta back in circus.

Di Resta was a terrible team player while at Force India, but I can't deny that he was/is very talented, though I rate guys like Perez, Hulk, Ocon, Wehrlein and Vandoorne higher than him.

What a hell are you talking about ? Why he was "terrible" as team player ?
You remember him actually driving in F1 ?
Luckily... Perez and Ocon are amazing "team players". Lol

 

[apex11]

I am honestly confused at how an ex F1 driver who is also a reserve coming 19th in Qualifying can be considered impressive.
Its somehow meant to be impressive that a professional driver can get an F1 car round the track a few times? These are the most technologically advanced race cars on the planet which pretty much drive themselves around the corners due to high downforce and mega grip.

Don't get me wrong under crazy circumstances he had to jump in and it was good that he showed some strength in that, but to say he was impressive? Come on, he just drove the car round, rarely here people saying Palmer is impressive just for driving the car round.

 

[oorjit07]

When he lose F1 seat(s) back in 2013 I was like "what a hell, this must be some joke".
To me he was among those drivers who gets most of the equipent he got into his hands.
But, like I recently said, he was somewhat like Heidfeld or Hulkenberg "too nice" for this Serengeti national park wilderness ...called Formula One world championship.
To ease my pain (in some extention) I told myself it's cause he's too high for todays F1.

Another thing...
and since we amazingly didn't get that topic to write about here, I wonder what's really happening with Massa, he doesn't look as a reliable investment for whole (2018) season. Feeling ill ? Maybe bad memories at this track brought something back. Don't get me wrong I love Massa, he is among nicest but this is so so unusual in world of high professional F1.
He was getting his standing ovations, back there in Brasil, anyway... I would prefer to see DiResta back in circus.

What a hell are you talking about ? Why he was "terrible" as team player ?
You remember him actually driving in F1 ?
Luckily... Perez and Ocon are amazing "team players". Lol

Come on, don't try to act like a know it all. If you remember him at Force India, you'd know that he would constantly criticize his team IN FRONT OF THE MEDIA, which is why he lost his seat. He would crash out and blame it on the car. I'd take Ocon and Perez having a few incidents over him any day.

I am honestly confused at how an ex F1 driver who is also a reserve coming 19th in Qualifying can be considered impressive.
Its somehow meant to be impressive that a professional driver can get an F1 car round the track a few times? These are the most technologically advanced race cars on the planet which pretty much drive themselves around the corners due to high downforce and mega grip.

Don't get me wrong under crazy circumstances he had to jump in and it was good that he showed some strength in that, but to say he was impressive? Come on, he just drove the car round, rarely here people saying Palmer is impressive just for driving the car round.

Di Resta had 0 practice, no experience with this car, and didn't even get to choose a setup. If you think it isn't impressive that he qualified within a second of the other guy, you should go and give it a try.

 

[apex11]

But i am not an ex F1 driver or a reserve F1 driver, its his job is it not? No its not impressive to get within a second of a kid whose Daddy has paid for him to be there..... If Paul is some legend racing God for coming 19th then Lance is the new Senna...

This is my opinion, i don't fancy having a Sunday arguing about it so if you do your are on your own..

 

[gamer19]

I am honestly confused at how an ex F1 driver who is also a reserve coming 19th in Qualifying can be considered impressive.
Its somehow meant to be impressive that a professional driver can get an F1 car round the track a few times? These are the most technologically advanced race cars on the planet which pretty much drive themselves around the corners due to high downforce and mega grip.
Don't get me wrong under crazy circumstances he had to jump in and it was good that he showed some strength in that, but to say he was impressive? Come on, he just drove the car round, rarely here people saying Palmer is impressive just for driving the car round.

Read topic title again then:
Impressive Performance from Williams Stand In Di Resta in Hungary
Red part read twice.

 

[Andy_J]

But i am not an ex F1 driver or a reserve F1 driver, its his job is it not? No its not impressive to get within a second of a kid whose Daddy has paid for him to be there..... If Paul is some legend racing God for coming 19th then Lance is the new Senna...

This is my opinion, i don't fancy having a Sunday arguing about it so if you do your are on your own..

The fact that Di Resta last raced in in F1 in 2013 in vastly different cars and the fact that he literally just had no practice at all is amazing. I guess Williams should have called you up.

 

[apex11]

But he came 19th he's a pro driver and reserve driver, look at that Italian who stood in for Pascal.