Di Resta has been competing in the DTM touring car championship
Scotland's Paul di Resta posted the second-quickest time at the end of the first day of Formula 1's young driver test at Jerez in Spain.
The West Lothian driver, 23, vying for a place as Force India's test and reserve driver for the 2010 season, finished behind Spain's Andy Soucek.
Di Resta was eight places ahead of his team rival, American JR Hildebrand.
Fellow Briton Gary Paffett was third with Mike Conway fifth, and Oliver Turvey posted the 11th quickest time.
Di Resta - the cousin of IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti - started three days of testing with the Force India team on Tuesday.
"It's a great opportunity and something I have waited a very long time to get a hold of," Di Resta told BBC Scotland earlier this week. "Who knows what the future holds, but my aim is to get into Formula 1."
The Scot began his career in karting before moving into British Formula Renault and then the Formula Three Euroseries, beating present F1 Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel to the title in 2006.
The Scot moved to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) championship in 2007 and has previously been linked with a move to F1 with McLaren Mercedes and Virgin Racing.
Force India, who finished ninth in the F1 championship in the season just past, have decided to retain Adrian Sutil and Vitantonio Liuzzi as their drivers for 2010.
"It is a very exciting time and I have to be realistic and productive over these testing days," said Di Resta, who began racing go-karts from the age of three.
"It is very difficult to predict anything. Force India are giving me a chance to drive the car and we are looking to try to bond a relationship that will work for many years to come.
Becoming a test driver would bring Di Resta within touching distance of following fellow Euroseries graduates Vettel, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton into an F1 race car.
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