F1 bankruptcy costs American his chance at USGP

AUSTIN, Texas — Alexander Rossi was looking forward to becoming the first American driver in Formula One since 2007.

Instead, he'll be watching Sunday's United States Grand Prix, a victim of circumstance and economics that has reduced the field for the race to just 18 cars, the smallest for an F1 race since the Monaco Grand Prix in 2005.

Still, Rossi, a 23-year-old from Nevada City, Calif., with an extensive résumé in lower formulas, remains optimistic that he'll eventually find his way to F1.

"It's difficult and disappointing, but at the end of the day I'm happy to take part in helping to promote the race," Rossi told USA TODAY Sports. "I'm glad to provide fans with some hope that someday an American will be back in F1 again. I enjoy bringing the F1 environment to America, and I love the fact that F1 is racing in Austin."

Rossi was expected to replace Jules Bianchi at Marussia F1 Team after Bianchi sustained severe injuries in a crash Oct. 5 at the Japanese Grand Prix, but Marussia ran just one car — driven by Max Chilton — in Russia.

It was then thought that Rossi might join Marussia at the Circuit of the Americas for this weekend's USGP, but that plan was dashed when the team declared bankruptcy earlier this week. That, along with Caterham Racing's similar decision, left the USGP four cars short of the typical F1 field this season.

The struggles of Caterham and Marussia have led to talk that more established teams will be asked to field extra cars as the F1 season winds down.

"Everyone wants to see more cars on the grid," said Valtteri Bottas, who had the 11th-fastest practice lap of Friday's second session. "The more is better, so we just need to find out how soon that would be possible for the teams to want to make it happen. I think it would be quite interesting. I don't see, as a driver, any downside in it, really."

The issue at its root is money and the bottomless supply of it that teams tied to manufacturers have. The more they spend to win, the more they price smaller, independent teams out of the market.

"You can't have Formula One with only manufacturer teams," said Vijay Mallya, co-owner of Sahara Force India, which fields cars driven by Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez. "You have to have smaller teams."

While the loss of Caterham and Marussia has brought skyrocketing costs to the forefront of the discussion heading into the USGP weekend, some have expressed concern for the team's employees who are out of work.

"My biggest concern really is just for all the employees in those teams that have to provide for their families that perhaps don't have a job now," said Lewis Hamilton, the F1 points leader who led both of Friday's practice sessions. "If we do (add cars to larger teams), perhaps they still have space in other teams."

Despite the disappointment of not racing in the United States' only F1 event, Rossi still believes he'll get his chance.

"I do, I do," he said. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I could land a full-time ride in Formula One. I believe that I will get there."

Follow Jeff Olson on Twitter @jeffolson77.