Paul Di Resta with the team's new car for the 2013 Formula 1 season. Force India is yet to appoint its second driver for the 2013 season. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images
GERMANY'S Adrian Sutil and Frenchman Jules Bianchi are frontrunners to drive alongside Britain's Paul Di Resta for the Force India F1 team this season.
Force India bosses hope to make a decision before the start of the second batch of pre-season testing - in Barcelona on February 19.
"In 2014 we are into a completely different era and we need to have drivers that we feel are going to be capable of developing the car through," Force India's deputy principal Bob Fernley told reporters at the launch of the new VJM06 car.
"We need performance but we also need the development ability. And it's about bringing the right person in to do all of that and getting the long-term stability."
The team needs to fill the second seat vacated by Germany's Nico Hulkenberg, who is now at Sauber.
Many believe that Force India is looking for someone with backing, however Fernley refuted that that was a given.
"The decision we will make will be for the benefit of the team. And it doesn't necessarily follow that that is a financial requirement. In fact it's highly unlikely that it will be," he said.
Sutil has experince with the team, having driven for them from 2007 to 2011 while Bianchi was the test and reserve driver last season. He is also a member of Ferrari's academy.
Other experienced drivers with some sponsorship behind them and still looking for a seat include Russian Vitaly Petrov and Brazilian Bruno Senna.
Di Resta will do most of the testing of the new car in Jerez this week.
"It's nice to have the track time but the track time is only quality if we've got the conditions to go with it," Fernley said.
"Paul is a major part of what we do. He gives us stability, his technical feedback is excellent and that's why it's quite important that we optimise Jerez with Paul," he said.
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