Di Resta: Age may have worked against me in Williams seat bid

Paul di Resta feels his age may have worked against him in the race for a Williams Formula 1 seat in 2018 as Sergey Sirotkin's confirmation at the team looks imminent.

Di Resta, 31, raced in F1 between 2010 and 2013 before losing his Force India seat and returning to DTM with Mercedes.

The British driver made a surprise return with Williams at the Hungarian Grand Prix last year when Felipe Massa fell ill, and put in an impressive display at short notice.

Di Resta's performance led to him entering the race to replace the retiring Massa full-time at the team in 2018, but recent reports suggest that 22-year-old Sirotkin is due to be announced as Lance Stroll's teammate for 2018 in the near future.

"It was within touching distance again though of getting the race drive, and it’s not happened," di Resta told Crash.net.

"Whether my age is against me now, I don’t know.

"I enjoyed driving that race. I tried to represent the team as best I could with the limited time that I had.

"Ultimately it puts you back in the framework in some way."

Di Resta confirmed there are currently no plans for him to continue as Williams' reserve driver in 2018, with his attention instead turning towards Formula E, having enjoyed his first test on Sunday in Marrakesh with Jaguar.

"[Williams'] decision will be taken very soon. It will be announced very soon," di Resta said.

"But as a driver you have to look after number one and that’s me personally.

"This is a championship that is just underneath the level of Formula 1, and as a professional driver, that’s what excites you."

Asked if a full-time move would be of interest, di Resta said it would "definitely" be as Mercedes gears up for a Formula E entry in 2019.

"I think any professional driver at the level I am at, you have to be," he added.

"I’m definitely very open and would enjoy racing it I think."