Di Resta to make VW Cup debut 04 | 04 | 2014
BATHGATE'S STEFAN DI RESTA, the 24-year-old brother of former F1 racer Paul, will make his debut in the Milltek Sport VW Racing Cup later this month.
While older brother Paul will lead Mercedes' assault on the German Touring Car (DTM) Championship, multiple karting champ Stefan has joined the JWB Motorsport squad for his first full season of car racing.
“I drove the Scirocco during testing earlier this year in the wet at Silverstone and I was very impressed," Stefan, who will make his race debut in the season-opening 34-car grid at Oulton Park on Easter Monday, said today.
"The car felt good, and it all went a lot better than I had expected. This deal has all come together a bit late, but hopefully I will have a chance to test the car again in the dry before the first race.”
Despite his exptnsive karting experience around the world, Stefan's experience in cars is limited to a handful of club outings in a Mini at Knockhill.
Related: Di Resta fastest Merc in DTM test
“I’ve been around the sport for around 10 years now, but I took time out to go to university and Australia,” the young Scot, who will contest the full 14-race season, added. “I’m pretty much a novice really, and I hope to give motorsport a good go now and see what comes of it.
“My height and weight mean it’s time to leave karting behind. I’m older than the typical rookie and my aim for the future is GT or touring car racing, so the Volkswagen Racing Cup is an ideal place for me to get started with some affordable and competitive racing, and with the help of a few sponsors.”
Stefan will replace JWB team manager, Nick Beaumont, in the car. Beaumont qualified the JWB Scirocco on pole position at Brands Hatch last August and went on to win the first race of the Brands weekend.
“I’m more than happy to be stepping aside for a driver as promising as Stefan,” Beaumont said. “We tested him at Silverstone earlier this year and we were impressed with his pace.
"Stefan is going to be an asset to JWB Motorsport and we will be working hard with him to develop his full potential.”
Brother Paul, who impressed in the first official pre-season DTM test at the Hungaroring earlier this week, will race his Mercedes in the opening round of the DTM Championship at Hockenheim on May 4.
Related: Gregor Ramsay jins Lotus F1 Junior Team
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Jim McGill