Official: Manor F1 signs Alexander Rossi for the next five races
This Sunday, in Singapore, as well as for the following four races, Manor F1 Team will be able to rely on the services of Alexander Rossi. The American will take the seat of Roberto Mehri.
Roberto Mehri knew it: in a team as financially unstable as Manor, the leaders would not shy away from any available source of income. While the Spaniard might have expected to be quickly replaced, he ultimately raced for more than half of the season with Manor.
However, the career of the former Formula Renault 3.5 driver is soon to experience a halt: for the next five races (Singapore, Japan, Russia, United States, Mexico), it will be Alexander Rossi, the former Marussia reserve driver, who will take the second seat of the team. For the last two races of the season, Roberto Mehri will regain his seat, likely because the 23-year-old American has not managed to secure the necessary funding for the final two Grand Prix.
Alexander Rossi currently occupies second place in the GP2 championship, behind the untouchable Stoffel Vandoorne. According to the agreement reached with Manor, he will also be able to finish the season in this championship. The American is obviously delighted with this signing: « I have been preparing for this opportunity for a while now. (…) It’s a small F1 team that has been through a lot. They have embodied passion and true strength of character in the best way, and their return this season is extraordinary. I am honored to be part of this story. »
John Booth, the director of Team Manor, emphasizes that his team has always trusted young drivers: “We are delighted to have signed Alexander. He is considered by many as a driver on the brink of an exciting F1 career, and his current form in GP2 has done a lot to strengthen his obvious potential. (…) Signing Alexander is a new step in our proud tradition of giving young drivers the opportunity to showcase their talents.”
Roberto Mehri is not forgotten in John Booth’s statements, which shows that Manor could potentially retain him for next season: « Even though he is of course disappointed, Roberto understands that the decision was made in the team’s long-term interest, and we thank him for his professionalism. No decision has been made regarding our driver line-up for 2016, and we will continue to evaluate our options for the remainder of the season ».
Alexander Rossi will be the first American driver to start a Grand Prix since Scott Speed in 2007.
