Interview with new DTM champion Paul di Resta

Paul di Resta secured his first ever Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters title after a three way Mercedes title fight. We caught up with the Scotsman after he had been crowned DTM 2010 champion in Shanghai, China.

Our congratulations on winning the DTM title, Mr di Resta. Have you already got used to being addressed as champion?

Yes, it’s starting to feel quite natural now. I’m very happy and proud about the way our team performed over the entire season. We put in a lot of hard work to reach our target. It was a long season for me personally, because I was not only travelling to the DTM races but also to all the Formula One events. Fortunately, it was all worthwhile, and I can now look forward to the winter break.

What was your week like after winning the title in Shanghai? And were you celebrating on the long flight home or catching up on your sleep?

We certainly had a big party in Shanghai. And in the plane, we divided our time between celebrating and getting a bit of shut-eye. So on this occasion, it was quite good to have a long flight back.

How would you sum up your season?

It was good, though obviously a bit long. It was exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. The key thing was to stay motivated and focused on my objective – winning the DTM title. It was a great year for Mercedes. The work that went into preparing the car was phenomenal, and we won nine out of the eleven races on the calendar. I’m very grateful for having been given such a competitive car to drive.

What would you say was the turning point – your first win of the season at Brands Hatch?

No, I think that my second-place finish at the Nürburgring was the real turning point on the way to the title.

In the DTM, consistency is crucial. In two races, you finished completely outside the points, but then, from the race at the EuroSpeedway onwards, you never finished lower than first or second. So in fact, it’s not just about being consistent but consistently being at the front, isn’t it?

Absolutely. It was very important to be consistently up with the front-runners. And please bear in mind that the only two non-scoring races this season were not my fault – at the Norisring, I was hit by Alexandre Premat, and at Adria, by Mike Rockenfeller. Otherwise, I feel I would have been up on the podium those two times as well.

In the 2006 season, you were battling it out with Sebastian Vettel for the Formula 3 Euro Series title. Four years later, you are DTM champion and he is Formula One World Champion. How important has Formula 3 been for you in your career?

My time at ASM Mercedes in the Formula 3 Euro Series was a very important phase in my career. The team applied the finishing touch to my driving skills, and they worked hard to ensure that we achieved our shared goals. We were already working on a highly professional basis together, which gave me an idea of what I could expect in the coming years. Sebastian and I have had some ding-dong encounters, and I hope and feel sure that we can continue this in the Formula One arena.

What is the most important lesson that a young racing driver learns in the Formula 3 Euro Series?

Everything is important – driving a formula racing car, working with the engineers… You can’t just pick out a single aspect; you have to look at the whole picture.

By winning the DTM title, you’ve made a dream come true. So would you say that Formula One is your next dream?

Absolutely, yes. As a young racing driver you always have the top stars as your role models. In my childhood, Ayrton Senna was one of my heroes, but there were also other big names such as Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. I’ve always tried to learn from their successes and achievements, and to put what I’ve learnt into practice so that I could maybe even beat some of them on the track one day.

What is the better route for an ambitious young driver – entering Formula One via a midfield team, like Sebastian Vettel who started out at Toro Rosso, or launching your career with a top team, which is what Lewis Hamilton did at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes?

It depends on your career to date and it’s different for every driver. A lot depends on the opportunities that present themselves over time; in this situation, you can’t afford to be too picky.

As the official test and reserve driver for Force India Mercedes this year, you must have learnt a lot. Do you feel ready to compete in races?

Absolutely. I’ve become more mature over time and have learnt a lot about F1. Together with Mercedes and Force India, I feel that I’ve done my job well. That’s why I’m confident that I will master the challenges ahead.

How much does being a successful DTM driver help in driving a Formula One car?

Of course there are similarities. It’s difficult to express in words, though, because Formula One and DTM confront you with two different sets of tasks. But the technology that goes into the car is similar in both cases. DTM is often referred to as ‘Formula One with a roof’. Obviously, it’s not that straightforward, but both series are the best of their kind: a DTM car is the best touring car in the world, and a Formula One car is the best single-seater racer on the planet. It’s fun to drive both, but of course, Formula One is special, because we all ultimately aspire to drive in that series.

What are your plans for winter?

I’ll recharge my batteries, work on my fitness and savour the success of this past season. Because I did so much travelling, I have some catching up to do – and of course, I’m aiming to get a contract signed to drive in next year’s Formula One.