Alexander Rossi says his role as reserve driver at Manor will allow him to stay prepared for any future race seat in F1.
After impressing during five outings for Manor at the end of last season, Rossi was overlooked for one of the team's race seats as it opted for an all-new driver line-up of Pascal Wehrlein and Rio Haryanto. Rossi then secured a drive with Andretti Autosport in IndyCar, but has now been named as Manor's reserve driver says he was not willing to give up on F1 having come so close to a full time drive.
“I’ve invested most of my career in F1 and I’m not one to kick my heels and wait for things to happen, so this is my way of staying sharp and prepared," Rossi said.
"It was disappointing to miss out on a race seat with Manor Racing this year; everyone knows I pushed and worked hard for it. As Official Reserve Driver though, I have a very complimentary dual program at the highest level of motorsport.
"IndyCar Series is the premier category of open wheel racing in North America and extremely competitive. I also have the privilege of racing with a championship winning team, Andretti Autosport. I’m confident this experience will add to my role as a very important cog in an F1 team’s wheel."
And Rossi says he has no concerns over managing the workload of having roles in two categories.
"My schedule this year is demanding, but no more than a full time F1 schedule. I will attend 11 Grands Prix, only five of which take place during the IndyCar season, and I am certainly used to the travel demands of the F1 calendar. It’s great to be back with a team I know and with whom I share a mutual respect and passion for the sport we love.”
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