Alexander Rossi is heading to the Circuit of the Americas this weekend for his first home Grand Prix, with the American admitting he is excited to have the opportunity to race in front of his home fans for the first time as a Formula 1 driver.
The Manor F1 Team driver has been busy with PR commitments in the run-up to the race at COTA, but is proud to be the first American to race in an American Grand Prix since Scott Speed back in 2007.
“I can’t adequately describe how excited I am about competing in my home Grand Prix for the first time,” revealed Rossi. “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.
“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.”
Looking back at his opening two races of his Formula 1 career, Rossi has been relatively happy with their outcomes, with the American racer finishing both in front of team-mate Will Stevens, and is hoping for more progress this weekend.
“I’m pretty happy with how things went in my first two races for the team, in Singapore and Japan,” admitted Rossi. “There’s a lot to get to grips with at first, before you can really start to build some momentum, but that considered, I was pleased with my relative position at the end of those races.
“After a race off due to my GP2 schedule, I’m looking forward to picking up where I left off at Suzuka and enjoying a good fight with Will.”
Rossi experienced the Circuit of the Americas back in 2013 when he competed in the FP1 for the Caterham F1 Team, and feels it is one of the best circuits in the world, and cannot wait to start his first full United States Grand Prix weekend.
“Circuit of The Americas is an awesome track,” said Rossi. “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 until we start turning wheels on Friday.”
