Alexander Rossi will make his F1 debut with Manor this weekend in Singapore

It was announced yesterday afternoon that Alexander Rossi will make his Formula 1 race day debut in Singapore after Manor confirmed him for five of the remaining seven races.

Rossi will replace Roberto Merhi at this weekend's race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit as well as in Japan, the United States, Mexico and Brazil, but the Spaniard will stay on as the team's reserve driver for those events along with Fabio Leimer.

He has competed in the GP2 Series fo the past three seasons whilst his only Formula 1 experience is a couple of practice outings for Caterham and the former Marussia outfit over a three-year period.

In an interview with the media yesterday, Rossi said he is delighted to have been given the opportunity with Manor and feels that he has been ready for his debut in the sport for a while and wants to repay the faith shown in him with the Manor team in the next five races. Rossi stated the following:-

'I'm very thankful to race for the Manor Marussia F1 team and for their continued belief in me. 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.

'This is a small F1 team that has been through so much. They exemplify passion and true strength of character, and their comeback this season is extraordinary. I'm honoured to be part of this legacy and their continued growth and success.

'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. Since Monza, my return to F1 came together rather quickly and seamlessly. The collective support of both Manor and Racing Engineering was instrumental in making this opportunity possible.

'Singapore is a circuit I really enjoy and the timing of my debut could not be more perfect. There's a lot of work ahead and I'm looking forward to a busy end to the 2015 season.'

It is clear that Rossi is delighted to be making his F1 debut with Manor this weekend in Singapore and to be given the chance to race in five Grand Prix as well. It is great to see that Rossi has thanked the team for this chance alongside managing his commitments to the GP2 series as well. He clearly knows that this is his chance to show what he can do in the sport and understands the importance of this opportunity.

You can also see that he feels proud to represent the Manor team who as he rightly says has gone through so much recently and wants to bring success to the team and strengthen the relationship that he always had with the team starting this weekend in Singapore and he is more than up for the challenge ahead.

In case you didn't know Rossi (who has been linked recently with a move to the new Haas F1 for 2016), will become the first American since Scott Speed in 2007 to compete in a full F1 race when he steps into the cockpit on Sunday.

In his own interview with the media today, Manor team principal John Booth stated that he is happy to give Rossi a chance in the sport and believes that he has the potential and the talent needed to succeed in F1 while also balancing his current commitments in the GP2 series. Booth stated the following;-

'We are delighted to sign Alexander as race driver. He is widely-regarded as a driver who is on the cusp of an exciting F1 career and his current form in the GP2 Series has done much to reinforce his clear potential. With that in mind, we are pleased to support his current GP2 commitments while he continues to battle for the championship win, therefore he will race in five of the seven remaining Grands Prix this season, with Roberto contesting Russia and Abu Dhabi for us.

'Signing Alexander is a continuation of our proud record of providing young drivers with the opportunity to showcase their talents. We believe he will do a great job and look forward to seeing him race for the first time this weekend in Singapore. It is also fantastic news for the sport that it will have an American driver again, particularly with the United States Grand Prix on our horizon and now two races in South America, in Mexico and Brazil.

'I know Alexander is very excited about that and we look forward to providing him with the opportunity to show the American public what he can do.

'While Roberto is obviously disappointed, he understands that this decision is in the long-term interests of the team and we thank him for his professionalism. No decision has been made regarding our 2016 driver line-up and we will continue to evaluate our options during the remainder of the season.'

From what Booth has stated to the media today, he is more than happy to give Rossi a chance to prove his credentials as a race driver and show the reasons why they signed him in the first place. I would agree with Booth that signing Rossi shows that Manor are still serious about signing young drivers with the potential to succeed in the sport and giving them a chance that they need to demonstrate this.

You can tell from what Booth believes that he has the potential to succeed and from seeing his form in GP2 this season, you can see why that is the case and he clearly believes that Alexander is the right man for the job and believes in his abilities as a driver as well.

Even though I do feel sorry for Roberto Merhi who has lost his seat to Rossi after trying his best; I can see why they have taken this decision. It could have been his performances so far this season or maybe his inexperience that has cost him his seat for the remainder of the season; but who knows what the reason is.

That's not to say that Merhi may not be back in the car for next season as Booth says; given the fact that their drivers for next year are not yet decided.

There are a range of options for the Manor F1 team for next year with Rossi, current driver Will Stevens, Merhi and also Leimer as well as any other young drivers that the team may have their eye on.

But I look forward to seeing how Rossi performs this weekend in Singapore and also in the next few races. I firmly believe that Rossi will give it everything and show why he was signed by the team in the first place and why he is contesting the championship in GP2 this season as well.

Everyone at Driving for Pleasure wishes Alexander the best of luck for the rest of the season.

Sarah Jones- @jonesy_laaa