Merhi & Rossi to share Manor Marussia seat

With seven races of the 2015 Formula One World Championship to go, Manor Marussia have announced that Alex Rossi will race five Grand Prix.

The 23-year-old is currently second in the GP2 championship and so will continue to race in that series, leaving him unable to race on the weekends of the Russian and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

But for the other races, including this weekend in Singapore Roberto Merhi will step aside.

The move sees Rossi return to the team where he acted as reserve driver last season.

He was set to make his Formula One debut in Belgium in 2014, however a contract dispute with Max Chilton was later resolved and Rossi was made to wait for his chance this year.

‘I’m very thankful to race for the Manor Marussia F1 team and for their continued belief in me,’ said Rossi to Sky Sports.

‘I’ve been prepared for this opportunity for quite a while now. Many will know from 2014 that the team and I already have a strong relationship and there’s a bit of unfinished business for me here.’

‘I want to thank the management at Manor Marussia F1 Team and my team in the GP2 Series, Racing Engineering, for supporting both my F1 duties and the completion of an already strong GP2 campaign,’