F1: Force India Ready To Announce Sutil

Formula 1

F1: Force India Ready To Announce Sutil

Adrian Sutil is reportedly headed back to Force India...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted February 27, 2013 Balen (BEL)

Adrian Sutil looks to break out of a slump this weekend. (Photo: Getty Images)

Force India is expected to finally confirm on Thursday that Adrian Sutil has beaten reserve driver Jules Bianchi to the second race seat alongside Paul Di Resta.

Sutil’s management insisted to SPEED.com Wednesday morning that a decision had not been made, but was expected later in the day. Then, just a few hours later, Bianchi’s manager, Nicolas Todt, told news agency AFP that his driver had not gotten the drive.

Sutil, who turned 30 last month, has not raced since the 2011 Brazilian GP. He returned to the cockpit at the recent Barcelona test.

The decision has taken so long in part because the team's shareholders were juggling the long-term commercial implications of each driver choice, including the engine and gearbox deal for 2014.

Bianchi is contracted to Ferrari.

Sutil first joined the team as a test driver in 2006 when it was still Midland, and made his race debut — when the cars ran under the Spyker name — the following year. He has made 90 race starts.

Adam Cooper notched up his 28th season as a racing journalist in 2012. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.