TheChequeredFlag

Britain’s Paul di Resta has been confirmed as Force India’s race driver for the 2011 season, replacing Vitantonio Luizzi.

The 24-year-old Scot will partner German Adrian Sutil, whilst German counterpart Nico Hulkenberg – who drove for Williams in 2010 – becomes reserve driver.

Di Resta joins fellow Britons McLaren team-mates and former world champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton on the grid for the forthcoming season, which begins in the desert of Bahrain on March 6.

The former Force India test driver and Mercedes protegee will begin a new chapter in his racing career in just under a week’s time when testing resumes in Valencia on February 1.

On the promotion, di Resta said: “Naturally I am thrilled to be making my race debut this season.

“Becoming an F1 driver has been a long-held ambition of mine, something I’ve wanted to do since I first stepped into a kart, and to finally realise it feels amazing.”

Di Resta was impressive whilst driving on Friday morning practices in 2010, and has an impressive CV with a DTM German Touring Car Championship to boast and a Formula Three Euroseries championship, which he won back in 2005 – beating then team-mate and reigning world champion, Sebastian Vettel.

Speaking in Glasgow, di Resta added: “I’ve worked really hard for this opportunity throughout my career and to get it with Force India, a young team that’s got ambitions as big as mine, is genuinely exciting.”

Meanwhile, Liuzzi – who has been replaced by di Resta – is still battling his former team to agree compensation, as he was contracted to race in 2011.

British driver Paul di Resta is set to join Force India’s 2011 driver’s line-up, according to several media reports.

The 24-year-old has been vying with Vitantonio Liuzzi to partner Adrian Sutil for the new season, and it seems the Scot’s impressive practice form throughout the 2010 season has earned him a contract.

A press conference has been called in Glasgow for Wednesday, where a new formation is likely to be announced by the team.

Liuzzi, who drove for the British outfit in 2010, had a contract to race in 2011, but the team has been negotiating a settlement to terminate his contract.

If di Resta joins Force India, he will become the third British driver in F1, joining the two Mclaren team-mates: Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

Di Resta will be thrown into F1 cauldron and has a mountain to climb if he is to match his compatriots’ world championship feats; however, his talent is clear for all to see, as he emerged victorious in the DTM German Touring Car Championship marque in 2010. He also won the Formula Three Euroseries in 2007, beating then team-mate Vettel.

Di Resta, then, has the raw talent to make an impact in F1, and with a competitive and resolute driver in Sutil, that undisputed talent will be put to the test thoroughly.

Meanwhile, Nico Hulkenberg is likely to become the new third driver at Force India. The German, who raced for Williams in 2010, has struggled in his quest to find a new team, but it appears likely that he will fill the vacancy if di Resta moves up the roster, as expected.

Expect confirmations on this site on Wednesday.