USA: Alexander Rossi race two notes

Car Trouble Costs Alexander Rossi Second Position
Small reward for Rossi and Meyers Investment Group after valiant drive at Indy

Indianapolis, IN -- Round 6 of the Formula BMWUSA championship played out before a massive crowd at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The spectators were treated to a classic Indy slipstreamer and Alexander Rossi was in the thick of the action throughout. The young Californian drove his heart out and his sixth place finish was in no way indicative of his sterling performance.

Rossi made a beautiful start, running side-by-side through Turns 1 and 2, emerging in fourth, which became third by lap three. Now tucked behind the championship leader, the 15-year-old dived down the inside of his experienced rival to grab second spot on lap seven, although this titanic battle allowed the race leader to break away.

Alexander looked to have second place under control but inside the cockpit the driver knew differently. "My car began to get a little hot," he explained, "the tire pressures went up, so at that point I lost second place. I knew my car wasn't good enough to deliver and I was just focused on keeping my podium position."

Powerless to stick with the lead duo in his ill-handling car, Rossi could see the chasing pack getting ever larger in his mirrors. "I was hearing my mechanic over the radio saying "Five laps to go, four..." and I was thinking 'Hurry up -- let's get this thing finished!' but once they were upon me..." He defended beautifully, but had to cede a spot with two to go and suffered the ignominy of being demoted to sixth through the last corner of the final lap.

Unbowed, Alexander took solace in the fact that he is still the top American driver in the series. "I'm proud of that," he said, "obviously this being Indianapolis and an F1 event I'd wanted to take the Meyers Investment Group -- my new sponsors -- to the podium at their first event, but you've just got to keep looking forward and make the best of a situation. I'm a very healthy third in the championship and we're getting stronger with each round."

-credit: www.alexanderrossi.com