Di Resta joins Williams as reserve driver

British driver Paul Di Resta said Monday he will join the Williams team as reserve driver for the Formula One season which gets under way in Melbourne this weekend.

"I am delighted to be joining Williams as reserve driver and look forward to the 2016 season," the 29-year-old former Force India driver told williamsf1.com on Monday.

The Scot takes on the role behind drivers Valtteri Bottas of Finland and Brazilian Felipe Massa and initially will spend time getting accustomed to the controls and procedures of the Williams Mercedes FW38.

Di Resta spent three seasons at Force India from 2011-2013, amassing 121 world championship points from 58 starts.

The 2006 European Formula 3 champion lost his seat the following season so re-joined the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) touring car racing series, where he raced early in his career, competing for Mercedes, and he hopes to combine his role there with the new one at Williams.

The British team have had two third-place finishes in the constructors' standings over the past two seasons.