American driver to race in five of seven GPs for Manor, starting in Singapore; Rossi unsure if Haas chance for 2016 has already gone
Tuesday 22 September 2015 09:31, UK
New Manor Marussia recruit Alex Rossi is hoping to use his five-race deal to show he deserves a full-time place in F1.
However, Rossi is unsure whether his chance of a 2016 Haas drive has already gone.
In an unexpected move ahead of this weekend's Singapore GP, Manor announced that American driver Rossi would be taking Roberto Merhi's place in five of the season's final seven grands prix. Merhi will step back in for Russia and Abu Dhabi while Rossi completes his GP2 season, where he lies second in the standings to Stoffel Vandoorne.
Merhi was only told he was being dropped when he arrived in Singapore after boarding a flight on Monday.
Having briefly served as Marussia's reserve driver this time last year, Rossi revealed on Thursday that while he and the team had remained in touch, the deal for him to race came together "very quickly", with the 23-year-old signing on Tuesday and then booking his flight to Singapore for that night.
Underlining the last-minute nature of the change, it was Merhi rather than Rossi who appeared, as scheduled, for the drivers' press conference.
Rossi has past GP weekend experience having driven in five Practice One sessions since 2012, the final one of which came for Marussia in Belgium last year, but an F1 race seat had continued to prove elusive.
But with a drive for Manor finally sealed, the 23-year-old believes he now has a chance to show team bosses what he can do.
"The big thing that I've been missing in the last three years in my F1 career is actually racing. We've been close quite a few times and it's very surreal now it's about to happen," Rossi told reporters in the Singapore paddock on Thursday.
"So this is a major step in really firmly putting myself on the Formula 1 map, on the radar. So I'm just focused on doing a good job in these five races and showing that I am capable of being in Formula 1 and doing a good job.
"My goal is to race full-time in Formula 1 and whatever situation that is I'm going to jump at that with open arms. What this may lead to I don't know, but I'm hopeful that doing a good job in these five races prove I belong here and am capable of doing it just as much as everyone else."
One team which is likely to monitor Rossi's Manor progress closely is the new American Haas outfit, who are in the final stages of putting together their driver line-up for their debut season.
Although the new entrant had previously made clear their preference for one American driver, team boss Guenther Steiner declared last week "there is nobody out there at the moment" with the F1 experience they are looking for.
With Steiner's comments made before Rossi's Manor drive was confirmed, the 23-year-old was asked if he still felt he had a chance of convincing Haas that he deserved a seat.
"I don't know. I'm going to try and prove that I'm more than capable of racing in Formula 1 and I have all the necessary boxes ticked. The best way to do that is on track," Rossi replied.
"To be the only American with a superlicence, and now taking a grand prix start, it's some stuff I have in my corner for sure. But whether it leads anywhere remains to be seen."
In more immediate matters, Rossi is aiming to settle back in quickly at the team ahead of what is likely to be a private battle at the back of the field against team-mate Will Stevens.
"It's going to be a moving target," he added. "I haven't been in the car since Spa 2014 so I think it's going to be re-acclimatising, but it's not that different to GP2. So I'm hoping to be on the pace quite quickly."
