Despite not having turned a single Formula 1 race lap this season, Alexander Rossi has been on quite a ride. The 23-year-old was dropped from Caterham, picked up by Marussia, told he would drive at Spa due to contract disputes between the team and Max Chilton, only to have that opportunity snatched away at the eleventh hour. Now, Rossi is finally set to make his F1 race debut this weekend at the Russian Grand Prix as a substitute for the injured Jules Bianchi.
RELATED: Alexander Rossi, American F1 driver, meets the famous Lotus 49
Though the team hasn’t yet formally announced Rossi’s spot, Marussia has “registered the American rookie as one of their two eligible drivers for this weekend’s Sochi race, alongside Max Chilton,” according to F1’s official website.
- Why Sebastian Vettel Is Leaving Infiniti Red Bull Racing
- The Awful Jules Bianchi Crash Raises Serious Safety Questions for F1
- How the World’s Racing Series Stack Up: Miles Driven, Purse Size, and More
Should Rossi start on Sunday—which it now looks like he almost certainly will—he’ll become the first American F1 driver to compete in a Grand Prix since Scott Speed left open-wheel’s top-tier series in 2007.
Congrats, Alex. Give ‘em hell.
This story originally appeared on roadandtrack.com.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/1vRVL80
via Agya
