California native, 17 yr. old Alexander Rossi is the one to watch. I hope he will be the next North American driver in F1.

News Details
20 Sep 2009

TOP ROOKIE ROSSI CLINCHES SEASON FINALE


ISR

 

Press Releases:

ALEXANDER ROSSI CONFIRMED FOR CATERHAM TEAM AIRASIA GP2 TESTS
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 5:58PM

Hingham, UK - 27th September 2011- Team Lotus has today confirmed that Alexander Rossi, lead driver in the AirAsia Team Lotus Driver Development Programme and one of the standout race-winning performers in the 2011 World Series by Renault, will be taking part in the upcoming GP2 tests in Jerez and Barcelona with the Formula One team’s GP2 counterparts Caterham Team AirAsia. The team will be confirming the other drivers for the two tests shortly.

Alexander is a key driver in the Anglo/Malaysian’s squad’s roster of future talent and recently spent the Singaporean Grand Prix embedded with the team to further his experience of motorsport’s highest level of performance. Today’s announcement that Team Lotus is supporting his participation in the first day of the test in Jerez (29th September) and both days in Barcelona (19th / 20th October) will give the young American, the only US driver currently holding a Super Licence, the chance to step up from World Series by Renault to GP2, the acknowledged F1 feeder series.

Having just returned from Singapore to prepare for the test, starting tomorrow, Alexander said: “I would like to thank Tony, Kamarudin, SM Nasarudin and Riad Asmat for giving me this opportunity with Caterham Team AirAsia. I am very excited about working with a team who I have seen progress throughout the 2011 GP2 season from literally nothing to a race winning squad who mirror the professionalism, passion and commitment their colleagues in Team Lotus bring to work every day, and I will do my best to absorb as much as I can and repay the faith the Team Lotus shareholders have shown in me by doing the best job I possibly can over the four days on track.”

Riad Asmat, Caterham Team AirAsia Team Principal: “One of the key objectives for Tony, Din and Nasa when they set up Caterham Team AirAsia was to provide young talent from across the motorsport spectrum the chance to develop and gain experience on their way to competing at the highest levels of global motorsport. Whether it is aviation, music, the automotive industry or Formula One, our shareholders have always passionately believed in giving young people the chance to explore their potential and Alexander is a very good example of how this plan is working in motorsport – he has performed brilliantly in the 2011 World Series by Renault so it is only fitting that we help him further his understanding of how it works at the very top, and we can do that now by giving him the chance to step up to the GP2 series with us at the forthcoming tests.”

i hope he goes well. this kid is not a slug and should make it to become the lone american driver competing in f1.

 

Im all for it. I think we have great drivers state-side. We only lack the series, marketing and fanbase that can work to push them on to an international series.

Here's hoping he does well.

 

I am glad he is doing well. His facebook page occasionally posts stuff, so I see some of his updates.