Di Resta backs Sahara investment

Editor 13 Oct 2011 9:34 AM

Paul di Resta has backed Vijay Mallya’s decision to sell part of Force India to the Sahara conglomerate…

Paul di Resta has backed Vijay Mallya’s decision to sell part of Force India to the Sahara conglomerate.

Sahara India Pariwar, whose sporting portfolio includes sponsorship of the Indian cricket team and ownership of an IPL cricket side Pune Warriors India, is run by in Subrata Roy.

The company, though, has now branched out into F1 having purchased 42.5 percent of the Force India F1 team for $100 million.

“What has now happened is a great thing for Force India, to have that investment coming in,” said di Resta.

“As Vijay recently said, his team is becoming what he wants it to be now. I’m sure it will continue on an upward slope.”

Di Resta does have one concern, though, and that is who will make the final decision when it comes to next year’s driver line-up.

Mallya has the one who brought him in last season as Force India’s test driver and opted to give him a shot as a full-time race driver in 2011.

But whether the Indian billionaire will have the final say for next season’s line-up remains to be seen.

“At this point I don’t know how the structure will work within the team,” di Resta added.

“I understand Vijay will remain team principal, and he’s the one who has guided this team to what it is, so you have to give him credit for that, and hopefully it will continue that way.

“I’m sure in the background things will change, but that’s not a decision we’re going to get brought into.”

For now, though, the Scot faces at least a two month wait to learn his fate.

“The team have said they’re going to do it in December. Whenever they that want to do it, they will do it.”