• Italian Grand Prix

Di Resta thanks 'aggressive' strategy

Paul di Resta made the most of a short early stint to gain places at the start of the race © Sutton Images

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• Report:
• Vettel cruises to Monza victory to close on title
  

• Race:
• Italian Grand Prix

• Championship:
• FIA Formula One World Championship

• Drivers:
• Paul di Resta
• |
• Adrian Sutil

• Teams:
• Racing Point

Paul di Resta says his eighth place in the Italian Grand Prix was thanks to an "aggressive" tyre strategy from his Force India team.

Di Resta started the race 11th on the grid, and after making a good start he was one of the first drivers to pit for new tyres on lap 13, leaving himself with a longer stint on the medium tyre at the end of the race. Di Resta said that it had been a difficult grand prix, but that the strategy had helped him make up for a lack of performance in the car.

"Of course I'm really happy to finish eighth today after what hasn't been the easiest of races," Di Resta said. "My launch was not great, but the guys around me didn't get away well either. Going into turn one I could see a Williams coming towards me so I moved as far to the outside as possible, but there was no option but to bump across the chicane.

"After that we went aggressive with the tyre strategy and I think we extracted as much as we could because our ultimate lap time in race trim was not quite there today. So it's great to pick up four more points, which helps us move up a place in the championship."

Di Resta's team-mate Adrian Sutil said that he was looking in good shape until a hydraulic problem ended his race.

"I was running on the medium tyre so things looked okay and I felt points could still be possible. A few laps later the power steering went so I knew I had a problem. I tried to downshift into turn three and I couldn't so I had to park the car. As we saw with Paul's result, we missed out on getting two car in the points today."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.