Q & A with Paul di Resta

His next challenge comes on the streets of Macau this weekend, when he takes on the cream of the F3 crop at the annual Macau Grand Prix.

Success this season, with all the national champions coming together for the first time, would be a fantastic achievement, but di Resta is under no illusions about how difficult it is going to be.

He not only is going up against drivers who have experience of the tricky Guia track, but unseasonal rain could turn the event into a lottery. Autosport.com caught up with di Resta ahead of what looks likely to be a thrilling event.

Q. What's the feeling ahead of the weekend?

Paul Di Resta: Of course it is going to be close. I think this is probably going to be my toughest race so far that I have ever had to do. There are a lot of second, third and even fourth year drivers here. I have never been here, it is my first time, so it is going to be interesting to see how good I am.

But the main problem at the moment is the weather. It looks like it is going to be wet in the mornings and then dry in the afternoons, so it is not going to be easy.

Q. What preparation have you done? Have you watched videos of past races?

PdR: A little bit, but there is only so much you can do as a driver. You have to feel what the car is doing. I did some laps yesterday and it looks like a pretty good circuit, but it is going to be tough for sure. It is not going to be easy.

Q. This year is being billed as having one of the strongest entries, with all the national champions having decided to enter. Do you think it is too close to call?

PdR: Maybe. It could be. I think it depends on how people get on in practice and qualifying. If it is wet for practice and dry for qualifying then for sure I am going to be at a disadvantage. So we just have to see how it goes.

Q. But your ASM team are well prepared, and have always had a quick car here?

PdR: The team, I am sure, will do a very good job. And it will be down to how quick I can adapt to the circuit and how much I can learn off Richard (Antinucci), my teammate.

Q. After winning titles in the past, some champions have ducked out of coming to Macau because of the fear of damaging their reputation. Were you always keen to come here?

PdR: I have got nothing to prove to anybody. I have done everything I needed to do this year. To come here is an experience in itself. I have never been to Hong Kong or Macau before, and I think racing on a street circuit will do me good in the future. I just want to learn about the way things work.

It is another challenge that I have got to step up to and whether it works out of whether it doesn't, I don't see it as too much of a problem. We are here to do the business whichever way it goes, so let's just wait and see.

Q. Looking back on the season just gone, would you say it was a fairly straightforward campaign?

PdR: It was fairly straightforward. There were a few things that hampered it a little bit, but we never lost the lead of the championship after round two - although it got close. But it was always going to be like that with the new order, and we knew it was going to be like that from the start. But I think we can call it a good season.

Q. Was there an element of frustration that Sebastian Vettel was getting all the headlines and attention, and yet you were the man who was going out there and beating him?

PdR: Well, he is a BMW-Sauber Formula One test driver, and that is why so many people have heard of him. That is the way his career was going and hopefully in turn that may happen for me. It is only going to do me good beating him if he is getting all the attention. That is the only way I can look at it. And if young guys like him are getting into F1, and I beat him this season, then that has to be good for me.