Rossi joins Caterham Racing for remainder of 2013 GP2 season

Caterham F1 Team Reserve Driver Alexander Rossi will make his 2013 GP2 debut with Caterham Racing in Bahrain after moving into the team as part of the driver line-up restructure by Caterham F1 Team. Ma Qing Hua, who recently made history by becoming the first ever Chinese driver to take part in an F1 race weekend on home soil, stands down from the GP2 team and his revised plans will be announced in due course.

Alexander returns to the team he raced with at Abu Dhabi in 2011 and most recently topped the GP2 time sheets for in Barcelona during 2012 post-season testing. He will be looking to challenge the front-runners from his first outing in Bahrain and the team is excited about seeing him back in the car.

Mia Sharizman, Caterham Racing Team Principal: “Alexander has all the attributes needed for a racing driver to be successful at the very highest levels of motorsport. He is quick, he has very good racecraft and his technical insights will help us develop our car from the first laps he drives this weekend in Bahrain.

“While he’s moving into our team for this season, and combining GP2 with his F1 commitments, we’re also working closely with Ma to secure an alternative plan for him in 2013. He performed very well in China for the F1 team and that has opened up a number of very interesting new opportunities for him and us and we’ll announce a revised plan for him soon.”

Alexander Rossi: “I look forward to racing this weekend in Bahrain and getting started with the Caterham Racing GP2 team. I know the team well and I’m fitter than I’ve ever been and a GP2 programme complimenting my F1 duties for Caterham F1 Team is a good balance and I’m confident we’ll do a great job together. My goal is to win and Caterham Racing has shown in its first couple of years of GP2 that they can do this. My plan is to carry this trend forward. I want to thank Tony, Cyril, Mia and all the people at Caterham F1 Team and Caterham Racing for their continued belief in me.”

Alexander Rossi will make his 2013 F1 debut in FP1 for Round 7 in Montreal, Canada, June 7th.