McNish: Di Resta can be a champion

Paul di Resta can become a Formula 1 world champion given the right car, according to ex-F1 driver Allan McNish.

Scotland's Di Resta produced one of the best drives of his career to finish fourth in his Force India in Bahrain, just missing out on a maiden podium."Paul was driving like the old Jackie Stewart," said McNish. "It was the 'looking as if you're driving slow but actually driving very fast' approach.

"If someone puts him in the right car, he can fight for the world title."

 Speaking to BBC Sport, McNish added: "That opportunity of getting in the right car, to be able to do it, is probably going to be the hard part to achieve.

"But it's performances like in Bahrain that will put his name in the frame for some of the seats that might be coming up at the end of the season."

Di Resta spent much of the Bahrain Grand Prix in the top three, even leading the race at one point. However, he was overtaken by the Lotus of Romain Grosjean, who was on fresher tyres, with five laps to go.

The Scot ended up two seconds adrift at the finish to end up fourth, equalling his previous best performance from Singapore last year.He is now eighth in thedrivers' standings with 20 points, ahead of the likes of Mercedes' Nico Rosberg and McLaren's Jenson Button, as well as being 14 clear of Force India team-mate Adrian Sutil.

Di Resta, who beat Sebastian Vettel to win the 2006 Formula 3 Euroseries, was widely tipped to sign for a big team at the end of last season, but a move failed to materialise.

Despite the knockback, the 27-year-old threw himself into a new gruelling training regimeover the winter and is this season displaying a more relaxed and confident persona both on and off the track.

"I think he has developed and grown up," added McNish, who will be the BBC Radio 5 live analyst for the Spanish Grand Prix.

"He had a difficult winter because he had no team-mate and was the one the team looked to for the lead on development.

"He's still young and he's still got a lot of years ahead of him.

"That result in Bahrain will give him a lot of confidence and belief in what he can do inside the car. I would say a podium is on the cards at some point of the year. I don't think that's unrealistic."

Source: BBC Sport 

Have to say, in fairness to Sutil, if he had not been bashed off twice he would have score a lot more points (China was took out, Bahrain I feel like he got a puncture from being forced off track, and maybe Malaysia where the pit stops screwed both Paul and Adrian).

A good season so far for Paul, but I do feel he was out done last year by Nico Hulkenberg so if the same happens again this season then maybe he is a good number two driver to have (like a Webber, somebody who scores consistently rather than a race winner per say).

The problem for Paul, in my opinion, is he shown he's "alright" at best. I've not seen that spark yet that says "he could do incredibly well" - and this is for a man who has just missed the podium twice now, as well as beat Sebastian Vettel in F3 Euroseries.

I know he did well in Bahrain, but until I see what I percieve to be a "breakout" performance, I can't see Paul doing much better than what Garfield mentions - maybe becoming a good number 2 driver.