Paul di Resta has admitted he held brief discussions with McLaren about replacing Lewis Hamilton this season.
With Hamilton moving to Mercedes, the Woking squad were linked with several drivers including Di Resta but they eventually decided to sign exciting Mexican Sergio Perez from Sauber.
The 26-year-old Di Resta, who has been solid for Force India during his first two seasons in Formula One, confirmed he met with the McLaren bosses about a possible move, but they opted to go with Perez in the end.
"I'm not going to give away too much but, yes, there were discussions," he said during the Autosport International exhibition in the UK.
"I've got a great relationship with [the team] and Martin Whitmarsh was actually the key person who put my name forward for Force India.
"I've also been part of Mercedes-Benz for a lot of years [having won the F3 Euroseries and DTM titles with the manufacturer] but, for whatever reasons, they took the decision not to put me in the car."
Di Resta's 2013 seat at Force India is yet to be confirmed, but he is hopeful of showing McLaren what they have missed out on.
"Our paths may cross," he smiled. "It may be in a car that's beating them and I'll have the last laugh, but, if I've got to work with them, they're professional people and they win races, and that's what I'm in the sport to do.
"The biggest thing is to get the results and keep yourself in the team's minds. Having a good relationship with them is key, and I have that up and down the paddock. Unfortunately, there's a little bit more to [getting a seat], as there's a commercial side and money's tight. Without begging for a job, you've just got to be in their face at the right time."
