Alexander Rossi reflects on his 2014 season: Caterham, Marussia, and Bianchi

Alexander Rossi experienced a tumultuous year in 2014, starting the season with Caterham F1 in a third driver role before finishing the year with the Marussia team in a similar position. As the end of the year approached, the American driver reflected on his official website about the past year.

He specifically thanked the Caterham team for the months spent together and that the team’s acquisition led him to consider the next steps in his career elsewhere: « As a test and reserve driver in F1 for the last three seasons, I have been able to play an important and integral role in the Caterham and Marussia teams. […] I have been with Caterham for almost four seasons and have had the privilege of testing and assisting in the development of every F1 car built since 2010. I am grateful for the time spent at Caterham and for being a part of the team’s progress and successes. […] In July, shortly after the announcement of a change of ownership at Caterham F1, my management and I decided to leave the team and start a new chapter in my career. »

After leaving the Leafield team, he entered discussions with the other “small” team in the paddock, Marussia, where he was quickly confirmed to work alongside Max Chilton and Jules Bianchi: « Our discussions with the Marussia F1 team began at Silverstone where the opportunity to extend my role as a reserve driver was identified. The confirmation of this position came later in July during the Hungarian Grand Prix, where I immediately felt at home within the team and was able to get accustomed to the daily processes very quickly. The management of the Marussia team is a group of experienced competitors who are passionate about the sport, and that is something significant. Moreover, they recognized me as an asset to the team, which leaves me grateful for the time I spent with Marussia. »

As an American driver, Rossi knows he can make a difference by increasing his compatriots’ enthusiasm for Formula 1, and he hopes to achieve this in 2016 with the arrival of the Haas team, where he hopes to secure a leading role to make his debut in the premier single-seater category: « Clearly, it would be a great benefit if I could find a seat and/or if there were an American team on the grid, and with that, I sincerely believe it is high time for America to shine in this sport. There is a lot of work to be done to establish F1 as a popular topic in the United States, but with the effective work of commercial partners coupled with Haas’s arrival on the F1 grid and my continued efforts to secure a seat, 2016 could prove to be a very good year for F1 in the United States. »

If his season was marked by his transfer, he was especially affected by the accident of his colleague and friend Jules Bianchi in Suzuka: « Two months later, Suzuka remains at the forefront of my mind. That Sunday [October 5], my perspective on everything broadened, and my focus became increasingly narrow. Jules Bianchi is my friend, rival, and for a special time, he was my teammate. I think about him and his family every day, and I will continue to keep them in my thoughts and prayers. »

Rossi almost made his F1 debut at the end of the season, but ultimately with the bankruptcy proceedings of Marussia, it did not happen and he also had to rethink his future career plans. The American driver hopes that it will be finalized soon: « We are working hard, harder than ever, and I’m looking forward to sharing my plans for 2015 in the near future. »