Paul di Resta says speculation linking him to Mercedes GP is a "positive" but is concentrating on the job in hand at Force India.
Scot says speculation is a "positive"
Paul di Resta admits that speculation linking him to Mercedes GP has been a "positive" but stressed that he is concentrating on the job in hand at Force India.
The Scot has made an impressive start to his Formula One career, scoring points in two of the three races to date and also outqualifying team-mate Adrian Sutil in Australia, Malaysia and China.
Mercedes Motorsport vice-president Norbert Haug has rated Di Resta's displays as "exceptional", with such praise leading to speculation that he could be Michael Schumacher's eventual replacement.
Any such move would be logical given Di Resta's links with Mercedes - the 25-year-old having raced for them in the German DTM series for four seasons before taking the title last year, with Force India also using Mercedes engines.
However, speaking on Thursday in Istanbul ahead of this weekend's Turkish Grand Prix, Di Resta said he was taking the rumours in his stride.
"You are always interested if teams like that (Mercedes) are interested," he said.
"I definitely, one day, would like to be in a position for that, but at the same time I have said I am with Force India.
Focused
"I am fully focused on what I signed to do this year, and that is to drive for Force India and do the best job here.
"I will continue to focus on that path because there is still a long way to go and a lot up for grabs.
"You never know for the future. I will just continue eyes forward and go on with what I have got set out, and there is a long way to go."
Asked whether the Mercedes link was a compliment, Di Resta replied: "Yeah, it's been positive."
It has been suggested Di Resta might not have made it into F1 without their help - an argument that is perhaps doing the Bathgate driver's talent a disservice.
In reponse, Di Resta said: "It is a question you will never know, a question you cannot answer because you have not done it.
"I have always said Mercedes have been a great influence on my career and I have been part of that family for a long time.
"I've enjoyed it and I am still very close to them, but it is a question you will never know the answer to because I've not gone that route."
