Paul Di Resta left the Interlagos paddock on Sunday with his head held high, vowing Formula One had not seen the last of him.
Press Association Sport understands Force India will not be retaining the services of Di Resta after three years with the Silverstone-based marque.
Instead, Force India will announce at some stage in the near future Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez as their preferred line-up for next year, with Adrian Sutil likely on his way to Sauber.
Hulkenberg has long been Lotus’ number one choice as replacement for Kimi Raikkonen but their failure to secure a deal with a consortium known as Quantum Motorsports for a 35% share in the team has resulted in them turning to PastorMaldonado.
With state-owned Venezuelan oil and gas company PDVSA behind him, Maldonado is able to offer Lotus the money they need to take them into next season and beyond, with a deal to be confirmed this week.
As for Di Resta, it is likely he will now have to look outside F1, with a return to DTM (German touring cars) or IndyCar on the table.
Insisting he was not saying goodbye to F1 yet, Di Resta told PA Sport: “Not for trying it won’t be, so I’m not thinking about that.
“I’ll only look back dependent on which way the decision goes. I’m not giving up. I’d like to think there is a chance somewhere.
“I have dedicated as much as I can to doing this. People said before, when I was in DTM, that I couldn’t do it and I proved them wrong.
“The next few weeks are obviously crucial but people know what I can achieve if I’m given the tools. It’s obviously a difficult one at the moment because of the current position in the midfield.
“If this is it, then it would be a sad end, but I’ve still good offers to stay in competitive racing. I just have to do what is best for me at the same time and be respected.”
Di Resta is unfortunate proof that, in F1’s current economic climate, talent alone is not enough to secure a seat, as the Scot out-scored, out-qualified and out-raced Sutil.
The 27-year-old knows he could have done no more, adding: “I can walk in the paddock with my head held high. I’m not vindictive, I don’t hold grudges. I’m straight and honest.
“I’ll continue to put everything in because the important bit for me is driving the cars. That’s the bit you want to be doing.”