Paul Di Resta confident Force India can return to form at Belgian GP and respond to McLaren

Paul Di Resta is optimistic Force India have arrived in Belgium with a better understanding of Pirelli's revised tyres and can keep McLaren at bay in the Constructors' Championship, provided they recapture the form they displayed before Germany.

Although McLaren have in turn made small steps forward with their own form recently, and the more durable Pirellis appear to relatively suit their MP4-28, Di Resta insists securing fifth place remains a realistic target for Force India over the second half of the season. "You have to respect of McLaren for what they are and their car has transformed since changing to the other construction of the tyre. But equally when our car is working well we can be in front of them," the Scot argued. "That purely depends on how we get to grips on where we are and if we can solve the issues that have been hampering us over the last couple of grands prix. But having said that, it can very easily switch the other way and we will be working hard to try and do it. "We won't give the position [up] easy but they are a team that won this race last year, so we're going to have to be working at the top of our game to stay where we are. That is still the goal for the second half of the year - to remain in front of them." Force India's chances of a revival will nonetheless be boosted by the very nature of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, according to Di Resta, given the high-speed, low-drag track has traditionally played to Force India's strengths. "I don't think you can go on one year but one thing I will say is it is naturally lower-downforce tracks and less drag that suits the car," he replied when ex-Force India driver Giancarlo Fisichella's 2009 podium finish was mentioned to him. "The last time in Canada we had a great result in lower-downforce, equally in Monza last year we had a good run. It's a big part of the year I think and where it's going to lead you for the upcoming grands prix."