The Manor F1 Team will be running a slightly modified livery this weekend in celebration for Alexander Rossi’s home Grand Prix. The team will be displaying the stars and stripes of America.
Rossi, a California born driver, will finally get the dream of racing a Formula One car at his home Grand Prix. He returns to the car after missing the Russian Grand Prix to participate in GP2’s Russian races. It paid off, as he took victory in the first race which was shortened due to a red flag for repairs to the barriers. Taking his seat back from Roberto Merhi, Rossi is ready to get back to action in Formula One.
“I can’t adequately describe how excited I am about competing in my home Grand Prix for the first time. Thankfully, I’ve been so busy with a whole bunch of PR commitments that I’ve been able to keep that side of it in check, but now we’re just a few days out, the reality is starting to hit me and it feels great,” Rossi released in a statement to the press. “It’s a huge deal for me, not only because it makes me extremely proud to be the first American driver to race on US soil since 2007, but also because it’s the realisation of a goal that I, and the people around me, have been working towards for effectively 13 years. This weekend is an opportunity to reward their support and commitment as much as my own determination as a race car driver, and I’ll be giving it my all.”
Of course, a driver can be quite busy during their home race weekend. Outside of the car, Rossi has been taking part in various different public appearances throughout the weekend. Rossi has received a lot of attention in the American media because he is the sole American Formula One driver since Michael Andretti took part in most of the 1993 season. Despite his busy schedule, the team feels that he will still be able to get the maximum performance from the car.
“Alexander is also preparing himself for a very intense weekend ‘off-track’; he has one of the busiest PR schedules I have seen for a driver. Nonetheless, he is a very focused racer and he will find a way to manage the many demands on his time,” John Booth, the team principal of the Manor F1 Team, reassured. “For our part, we’ll be aiming to continue our run of excellent reliability with another two-car finish, while contending with this track’s unique characteristics and what is shaping up to be very interesting weather!”
The fans of America now have a national driver to cheer for in the sport of Formula One. The Circuit of The Americas is working hard to provide as many spectators as possible by providing first class entertainment. The circuit itself is one that Rossi enjoys racing at.
“Circuit of The Americas is an awesome track,” he said earlier in the week. “I’ve driven it before and it’s a real mix of some of the best circuits in the world. It’s pretty fast and the frequent elevation changes make it spectacular for racing and spectating. There’s going to be an amazing vibe, from the fans and having my family and friends in the crowd, so I really can’t wait til we start turning wheels on Friday.”
