The GP2 driver will compete in 5 out of the 7 remaining races for Manor, with Roberto Mehri returning for Sochi and Abu Dhabi. Mehri will be reserve driver alongside Fabio Leimer for the races in which Rossi is competing.
Rossi, currently 2nd in the GP2 standings after winning at Spa and Monza, will be the 20th American to participate in the Formula 1 Championship, and the first in 8 years. Previously, Rossi was test driver for Caterham for 2 and a half years from 2012 to mid-2014, joining Marussia for the second half of the 2014 season.
In order to keep his GP2 championship alive, Rossi will return to the series with his Racing Engineering team in Sochi and Yas Marina. Despite being over 100 points adrift of championship leader Stoffel Vandoorne, Rossi will be hoping to close the gap and increase his chance of securing a full time F1 drive next season.
It has been speculated recently that Haas F1 might sign Rossi to their squad for their first Formula 1 season, given that an American driver in an American team would boost the sport’s profile in the States. With the recent addition of the Circuit of the Americas to the calendar, and neighbouring Mexico also attracting the American fans, an American driver would be hugely beneficial to the sport.
Free practice 1 of the Singapore Grand Prix begins at 11:00 BST, where Rossi will make his first “race” outing in F1 machinery.
