28 replies to this topic

[maccaFTW]

He really seems to be building a case for it. By 18, Rossi has won a Formula BMW championship (as well as the Formula BMW World Final, the race among all the Formula BMW champions), and he had an outstanding rookie season in IFM despite not being with a very competitive team. He was really quick in his first GP2 test, even going quickest in a wet session before he had a mechanical failure, and he got rave reviews from both teams (Piquet and DAMS) for whom he tested.

This weekend, he's capped it off with a 4th place finish in his first GP2 Asia race. Granted, GP2 Asia isn't at a great level of competitiveness, but this year a lot of the regulars from the European series seem to be running. Plus, he came from 12th on the grid, which is a very impressive run through the field. Oh, and did I mention that he's only EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD?

Rossi's definitely a kid to look out for in the future. I'm sure Peter Windsor wishes he could put him in the USF1 car next year. Something tells me that if Rossi keeps it up, he's going to get his first crack at F1 with a much better team than that. He looks like he's a serious talent.

[BMW_F1]

good thread.. I really hope this guy makes it. He tested GP2 the other day and was faster than Bruno Senna and other more experienced drives. I did not know he competed today.. I have to check it out..
Some want to put him down for the same reason they want to put down USGPE..

Edited by BMW_F1, 31 October 2009 - 18:44.

[mstar]

another scott speed?

[ForeverF1]

good thread.. I really hope this guy makes it. He tested GP2 the other day and was faster than Bruno Senna and other more experienced drives. I did not know he competed today.. I have to check it out..
Some want to put him down for the same reason they want to put down USGPE..

I hope you will post any info you get on him, it is always nice to read about up and coming talent.

[MegaManson]

Looks promising but bet he ends up in NASCAR like every other promising yank (AJ for example)

[pingu666]

midweek motorsport had two young american drivers on this week

[BMW_F1]

another scott speed?

if you meant another american open wheel driver, yes he is american.. What else can you add to your post. ?

[maccaFTW]

another scott speed?

No.

Scott Speed was nowhere near this impressive, especially not at the age of 18. Speed was 22 when he ran in GP2.

His current age is something that we need to really drive home. He's just 18 years old. It's one thing to be in your early-20s and to have had a couple of seasons of F3 and a season (or two) of GP2 under your belt and then go out there and run competitively in GP2, as Hamilton, Hulkenberg, and Rosberg all did. But this kid is just 18 years old, he's only had a season of Formula BMW and a season of International Formula Masters (which still isn't F3 yet), and he's gone very quickly in his limited runs in GP2 so far.

Disclaimer: I'm NOT saying Rossi is destined for the same path as Hamilton, Hulkenberg, or Rosberg; clearly it's too early for that. I'm just saying that he's presented with a more difficult challenge than they were, especially since he's come from America- not a traditional F1 breeding ground- with little backing at such a young age. So far, he's doing very well for himself. But clearly, he's got a hard road ahead.

[maccaFTW]

Looks promising but bet he ends up in NASCAR like every other promising yank (AJ for example)

The thing is that Rossi is doing so well at such a young age, and critically, he's also established himself in Europe. AJ never really got a foothold in Europe.

Plus, I think Rossi is more talented, anyways.

[Andrew Hope]

I would be happy for him if his bio wasn't full of the usual ****, just say you have rich parents and leave it at that. Got a hell of a lot of talent, though, regardless of how jealous I am.

[alfista]

No.

Scott Speed was nowhere near this impressive, especially not at the age of 18. Speed was 22 when he ran in GP2.

Speed was older than Rossi , it's true, but don't forget how impressive Speed was in 2004 and 2005. He won both German and European FRenault titles and next season was third in GP2. People had every reason to think he would be Next Big American in F1.

[nordschleife]

Count me in the Alexander Rossi fan club.

When a Great White Hope for the USA actually does arrive in F1 and succeeds he will have had the same CV as Rossi at his present age. So he could be it. I hope so because it will be good for F1. And because long-suffering road-racing adherants in his country deserve such a hero. Maybe by that time we'll call him America's Kobayashi.

[maccaFTW]

Speed was older than Rossi , it's true, but don't forget how impressive Speed was in 2004 and 2005. He won both German and European FRenault titles and next season was third in GP2. People had every reason to think he would be Next Big American in F1.

Speed was older than Rossi is now when he had the two good years, and he was also supported by Red Bull's considerable resources. Sure, Rossi's parents have money, but Red Bull has more money and, more importantly, had a much more entrenched motorsport operation at the time. Rossi has had to go to Europe with off-the-pace teams and do what he's done.

[moredeep]

as an American, please let this guy be the real deal


please

[alfista]

Speed was older than Rossi is now when he had the two good years, and he was also supported by Red Bull's considerable resources. Sure, Rossi's parents have money, but Red Bull has more money and, more importantly, had a much more entrenched motorsport operation at the time. Rossi has had to go to Europe with off-the-pace teams and do what he's done.

No doubt Rossi is the brightest current young American talent with real F1 perspective. IMO GP2 is the first yardstick that matters for him. Rossi's win in FBMW was very good but we don't know how good his opposition was. Same can be said about FMaster where the field was quite small this year. His GP2 debut was no doubt impressive but fellow former FMaster driver Josef Kral was only one place behind. Plus FMaster champion (and crucially, Rossi's team-mate in GP2 Asia) Fabio Leimer impressed with 3rd quali time and his fastest race-lap was better than Rossi's one. So we'll see.

[BMW_F1]

No doubt Rossi is the brightest current young American talent with real F1 perspective. IMO GP2 is the first yardstick that matters for him. Rossi's win in FBMW was very good but we don't know how good his opposition was. Same can be said about FMaster where the field was quite small this year. His GP2 debut was no doubt impressive but fellow former FMaster driver Josef Kral was only one place behind. Plus FMaster champion (and crucially, Rossi's team-mate in GP2 Asia) Fabio Leimer impressed with 3rd quali time and his fastest race-lap was better than Rossi's one. So we'll see.

Fabio is way more experienced than Rossi .. He's 20 and this is second year in Formula Masters. He did Formula BMW in 2006 and from there moved to FRenualt to compete in both the Europe Cup and Italian cup.. Last year he entered Formula master. The other guy you mentioned, Kral is also a two year veteran of Formula Masters.

Rossi's only started racing in European circuits this year .

[Captain Tightpants]

Rossi will probably have to have a full GP2 series under his belt. The GP2 Asia series is much shorter, and I think the teams use it as a means to check out new drivers they wouldn't normally consider or who they are uncertain about without being committed to run them for a full season. If he does well enough in the next few races, he might get picked up for the full season; only three seats have been taken by Jules Bianchi, Oliver Turvey and Dani Clos. Although GP2 is spec-engine and spec-chassis, it helps to have a good team. The new few races are Rossi's chance to make a case for the remaining ART Grand Prix seat, the two Barwa Addax drives, or partnering Clos at Racing Engineering or Turvey at iSport. They're probably the best teams to land with.

[jk]

I don't know that age is such a big factor. Just because Rossi at 18 was at the level Speed had at 22, does not necesarily mean that Rossi is going to end up much better than Speed.

Dominating in Formula BMW is certainly a requirement for turning into a F1 star, but far from enough. Let him have a couple of years in GP2, and if he starts being Hamilton-like dominant there, it would be a strong indication. It certainly seems the kid has potential, but there are many good young drivers all over the world. Let Rossi prove himself at the next level before we start talking about an american F1 star.

[Gamma Goblin]

Watched him on the GP2 Asia sprint race this morning, and was quite impressed with him - was a bit unlucky there was a safety car or he was on for a podium. He did quite well to keep a rampant Valsechi behind as long as he did too, without resorting to some of the weaving i saw earlier in the race from some of the other drivers (so THATS where kobayashi got it from!)

Had no idea he was american though, i had kinda assumed he was Italian

Edited by Gamma Goblin, 01 November 2009 - 11:48.

[billm99uk]

Watched him on the GP2 Asia sprint race this morning, and was quite impressed with him - was a bit unlucky there was a safety car or he was on for a podium. He did quite well to keep a rampant Valsechi behind as long as he did too, without resorting to some of the weaving i saw earlier in the race from some of the other drivers (so THATS where kobayashi got it from!)

Had no idea he was american though, i had kinda assumed he was Italian

Started fifth on the grid and took Cecotto and Turvey in the first corner. Ran comfortably third for most of the race but seemed to be struggling a bit in the last few laps and had an off track moment (tyres maybe?)and Valsecchi (the fastest guy all weekend) and Turvey managed to get past. Impressive run for a rookie to get fifth though. Maybe he prefers more powerful cars

[bourbon]

He's got a ticket to ride and yeah, he cares.

Alexander Rossi getting time in a Friday Practice session for Caterham in Spain. He'll replace Heikki for the session. Gotta send out the luck for a Cali kid...

http://www.formula1....12/5/13309.html

[jamiegc]

He needs the seat time as he will almost certainly take Kovalainens seat for Austin. Great PR from the king of PR.

[Cavani]

He needs the seat time as he will almost certainly take Kovalainens seat for Austin. Great PR from the king of PR.

if this is a great PR , we will see every team fielding their test drivers on their home races.i think that replacing drivers because of their nationality is stupid

[Red17]

if this is a great PR , we will see every team fielding their test drivers on their home races.

Now, now... there is no way teams would cash on drivers from specific countries running specific races.

Oh wait, they already did that....

[Ross Stonefeld]

If they're going to replace their best driver with a home-race rookie who's CV isn't *that* great, the team isn't one I would consider competitive.

Making the answer to the thread topic: No.

[David M. Kane]

Speed was older than Rossi , it's true, but don't forget how impressive Speed was in 2004 and 2005. He won both German and European FRenault titles and next season was third in GP2. People had every reason to think he would be Next Big American in F1.

I believe Conor Daly is trying to do the same thing; only time will tell on both of them.

[CrucialXtreme]

I believe Conor Daly is trying to do the same thing; only time will tell on both of them.

Rossi is a well known name up & down the F1 paddock as upcoming talent. The rest is up to him & his team. Getting him seat time in an F1 car is huge and much needed. He was fairly impressive in Abu Dhabi last year at the YDT. Of course only time will tell but this young man is headed for F1. It's what he does in the back marker car that will determine his longevity in F1

[jamiegc]

Rossi is a well known name up & down the F1 paddock as upcoming talent. The rest is up to him & his team. Getting him seat time in an F1 car is huge and much needed. He was fairly impressive in Abu Dhabi last year at the YDT. Of course only time will tell but this young man is headed for F1. It's what he does in the back marker car that will determine his longevity in F1

It's hard to justify any hype on his European junior record. A distant 4th in the clean slate inaugural GP3 and a very distant 3rd in WSR....

Wickens has a far better record but lucks out by being born a few miles too far north to get the American PR seat.

Edited by jamiegc, 05 May 2012 - 19:12.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Wickens has also been around for a while so his GP3 and WSR results look better than Rossi's. And it's not so much a PR thing as a money thing. Rossi doesn't have any major sponsorship to speak of.