Sutil looks to have secured Force India seat

27/02/2013

Adrian Sutil looks to have secured the second seat at Force India, alongside Paul di Resta, as Jules Bianchi's manager Nicolas Todt reveals the Frenchman doesn't have the drive.

Earlier this evening, Reuters Adam Baldwin tweeted: "Just spoke to Nicolas Todt, who confirmed the bad news: "Jules Bianchi will not be Paul di Resta's team mate. I was told today."

He subsequently tweeted: "Bad news for Bianchi of course, but great for Adrian Sutil. Look forward to Force India announcement some time before March 17. Todt said the Force India reserve seat remains an option and also Ferrari, but the latter would seem to offer Jules little to no track time."

While Force India has yet to comment, Baldwin later quoted Todt as saying: "It's a big disappointment. I am a very realistic person but I was very hopeful he would get this drive. We are looking around in F1 but there are very few options."

Todt's comments appear to give the green light to Sutil's return to the sport, the German having watched from the sidelines in 2012 following his conviction for grievous bodily harm after an incident in a Shanghai nightclub following the 2011 Chinese Grand Prix.