Sahara Force India confirm Adrian Sutil's appointment

Sahara Force India on Thursday, officially announced having Adrian Sutil as its driver alongside Paul di Resta for the 2013 season. This after there was a toss-up between the 30-year-old German and Frenchman Jules Bianchi.

Both Sutil and Di Resta had raced together for the team in the 2011 season and Sahara Force India is banking on the successful partnership to bring more laurels in the upcoming 2013 season. "It was a close call, but ultimately we felt that Adrian's experience and historic links to the team gave him the edge, and will provide us with the best possible chance of realising our ambitions for the coming season," said team principal Vijay Malaya.

The team's decision has left Sutil pleased, especially after he earlier said that he had done all he could to stake a claim. "I'm delighted to be back in Formula One, especially with a team I know so well. I'm very happy and I want to thank Sahara Force India for giving me a second chance," he said.

Sahara Force India had replaced Sutil with Nico Hulkenberg in the 2012 season after a conviction for assaulting the co-owner of the Lotus team, Eric Lux, in a Shanghai bar following the 2011 Chinese GP. Hulkenberg had delivered strong performances in the season with 63 points but shifted to Sauber at the end of the last race. Sutil will now hope to justify the faith put in him by the team and better Hulkenberg's performance.