James Rossiter

Born in Oxford, England, Rossiter started his motor racing career in karting at the age of 14. Competing in TKM and Rotax Max karts, he stepped up to single-seater competition after three years, testing a Formula Palmer Audi at the Bedford Autodrome in 2001.

Rossiter took the first steps in his professional career in 2002 by joining Falcon Motorsport to compete in the Formula Renault UK championship. Securing a best finish of fourth at Thruxton, he finished 13th in the drivers’ standings with 103 points but returned for the 2003 season, switching to Fortec Motorsport.

Hitting his competitive stride immediately, Rossiter finished third behind Mike Conway and Lewis Hamilton at the season opener at Snetterton and scored a further nine podiums, including one win, over the remainder of the season. He finished third overall behind Hamilton and Alex Lloyd and was recognised by a leading journalist as "the only driver to take the fight to Lewis Hamilton".

In 2004, Rossiter continued his relationship with Fortec Motorsport but graduated to the British Formula 3 championship.{{cite web |title=James Rossiter signs Fortec F3 deal |url=https://au.motorsport.com/bf3/news/james-rossiter-signs-fortec-f3-deal/1113182/ |website=au.motorsport.com |date=16 February 2004 |access-date=11 October 2022}} He scored three victories and 12 podiums during the season to finish third in the drivers’ championship behind Nelson Piquet Jr. and Adam Carroll, while also receiving the Rookie of the Year Award.{{cite web |title=Brands Hatch: Race one summary, champion crowned |url=https://us.motorsport.com/bf3/news/brands-hatch-race-one-summary-champion-crowned/1179048/?nrt=23 |website=us.motorsport.com | date=3 October 2004 |access-date=11 October 2022}}

With further performances at the Macau Grand Prix and Masters of Formula 3 events in 2004, Rossiter received the BRDC John Cooper Award and was selected as the winner of the BAR young F1 driver search from a group of upcoming racing drivers.{{cite web |title=BRDC rewards Button and Richards |url=https://www.grandprix.com/news/brdc-rewards-button-and-richards.html |website=grandprix.com |access-date=11 October 2022}}

In 2005, Rossiter graduated to international competition, racing in the Formula 3 Euro Series for Signature-Plus. He finished the season in seventh in the drivers’ championship with one win and three podiums before switching to Formula Renault 3.5 for 2006, in which he was 14th.

After being selected as the winner of the BAR young F1 driver search in 2004, Rossiter continued to perform development work for the team throughout the 2005 season.{{cite web |last1=van der Merwe |first1=Alan |title=Carroll fastest of the BAR young guns. |url=https://www.crash.net/f1/news/51130/1/carroll-fastest-of-the-bar-young-guns |website=crash.net |date=5 February 2005 |access-date=11 October 2022}} He was retained for 2006 following Honda's acquisition of the team and in 2007, worked primarily with the Super Aguri F1 team, spearheaded by Aguri Suzuki and Mark Preston.{{cite web |last1=Duffy |first1=David |title=Rossiter named as Honda test driver |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/1022925.rossiter-named-honda-test-driver/ |website=oxfordmail.co.uk|date=16 November 2006 }}{{cite web |last1=Duffy |first1=David |title=Rossiter joins Super Aguri |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/1398115.rossiter-joins-super-aguri/ |website=oxfordmail.co.uk |date=16 May 2007 |access-date=11 October 2022}}

In 2008, Rossiter was again retained by Honda as the team's primary test and development driver for its Formula One program. Working in Japan, he played a key role in the development of the Honda RA109 which would become Jenson Button's world championship-winning Brawn BGP 001 in 2009.

Following Honda's withdrawal from Formula One, Rossiter focussed on securing a drive with one of four new teams entering the sport for the 2010 season. He was signed by the US F1 Team to partner José María López but was not officially confirmed prior to the team's collapse.{{cite web |title=USF1 had actually signed two drivers |url=https://www.crash.net/f1/news/157315/1/usf1-had-actually-signed-two-drivers-reports-suggest |website=crash.net |date=March 2010 |access-date=11 October 2022}}Cooper, Adam. [http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-usf1-had-signed-rossiter-as-well-as-lopez/ USF1 Had Signed Rossiter As Well As Lopez] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100303064224/http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-usf1-had-signed-rossiter-as-well-as-lopez/ |date=3 March 2010 }}, Speed Channel, 1 March 2010, Retrieved 1 March 2010

Rossiter was instead poised to join the IndyCar Series, driving for KV Racing Technology after testing for the team at Barber Motorsports Park although the team re-signed Mario Moraes, which left him without a drive. He subsequently joined Sky Sports as a commentator for their IndyCar coverage.{{cite web |last1=Watkins |first1=Gary |title=Autoweek.com |url=https://www.autoweek.com/racing/indycar/a1993366/indycar-lotus-driver-james-rossiter-eyes-race-seat-kv-racing-technology/ |website=IndyCar: Lotus driver James Rossiter eyes race seat at KV Racing Technology |date=11 January 2011 |access-date=11 October 2022}}

File:F1 2013 Jerez test - Force India.jpg

After three years away from Formula One, Rossiter returned in 2012 by joining Force India as a test and simulator driver. He drove the team's 2013 car, the VJM06, at the first pre-season test at Jerez and was set to make his first practice appearance at the British Grand Prix to replace Adrian Sutil, although this was cancelled due to wet weather.{{cite web |title=ROSSITER MISSES OUT ON PRACTICE CHANCE |url=https://www.eurosport.co.uk/formula-1/rossiter-misses-out-on-practice-chance_sto3820393/story.shtml |website=eurosport.com |access-date=11 October 2022}}

File:James Rossiter 2014 Super Formula Motegi Q2.jpg in 2014.]]

In 2013, Rossiter joined TOM'S to race full-time in the Super GT championship. As team-mate to ex-F1 driver Kazuki Nakajima, he won the second race of the season at Fuji and the penultimate race at Autopolis. He finished third in the standings, nine points behind champions Kohei Hirate and Yuji Tachikawa and also ran a part-time campaign in Super Formula, taking a best result of sixth.

Rossiter ran full-time in both Super GT and Super Formula in 2014 with TOM'S and Kondō Racing. He finished third in Super GT with a pair of wins at Suzuka and Buriam and took a best finish of second at Super Formula's season opener and was sixth in the standings.

He continued his dual racing program throughout 2015 and 2016 and scored one win and four podiums with TOM'S in Super GT before racing solely in the series in 2017 after leaving Kondō Racing. He secured his final win in the series at Autopolis and finished fifth in the championship.

In 2018, Rossiter ran full-time in Super Formula with TOM'S and part-time in Super GT. He switched to Team Impul to race solely in Super GT in 2019 and scored his final podium at Okayama by finishing third.

Before joining the FIA World Endurance Championship, Rossiter took his first steps in sportscar racing in 2008 by competing part-time in the American Le Mans Series with Andretti Green Racing. He won alongside team-mate Franck Montagny at Belle Isle and later raced at the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans with Jetalliance Racing, driving a Lotus Evora.

File:Le Mans 2013 (162 of 631) (9344239809).jpg at the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans]]

In 2012, he joined Lotus in the World Endurance Championship's LMP2 class. He secured a best finish of ninth at Bahrain and started from pole position at Shanghai. He continued to drive for the team part-time in 2013 and 2014.

Rossiter rejoined the ByKolles operation in 2016 and ran part-time over the next three seasons, making six appearances in LMP1 alongside one LMP2 start for G-Drive Racing in 2017.{{cite web |title=James Rossiter returns to ByKolles LMP1 squad for two WEC rounds |url=https://www.autosport.com/wec/news/james-rossiter-returns-to-bykolles-lmp1-squad-for-two-wec-rounds-4991612/4991612/ |website=Autosport.com |access-date=11 October 2022}}

On 8 February 2021, Rossiter was named as the simulator and reserve driver for Peugeot Sport's return to the World Endurance Championship in the Hypercar class. He was later promoted to a full-time race seat following Kevin Magnussen's return to Formula One with Haas in 2022.{{cite web |last1=Thural |first1=Rachit |title=Peugeot reveals final 9X8 WEC Hypercar, Rossiter in for Monza |url=https://www.autosport.com/wec/news/peugeot-reveals-final-livery-for-9x8-wec-hypercar/10307420/ |website=Autosport.com |date=20 May 2022 |access-date=11 October 2022}}

Rossiter finished fourth on the Peugeot 9X8's debut at Monza and finished fifth at Fuji. On 7 October 2022, Rossiter confirmed his departure from Peugeot and announced his retirement from professional competition to join Maserati MSG Racing in Formula E as team principal.{{cite web |last1=Golding |first1=Nick |title=Maserati MSG Racing Announce James Rossiter as Team Principal |url=https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/10/maserati-msg-racing-announce-james-rossiter-as-team-principal/ |website=thecheckeredflag.co.uk |date=7 October 2022 |access-date=11 October 2022}}

In 2017, Rossiter represented Venturi Racing at Formula E pre-season testing at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain, alongside Edoardo Mortara, Maro Engel and Michael Benyahia.{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Luke |title=Mortara joins Venturi for Formula E season four |url=https://www.crash.net/fe/news/885219/1/mortara-joins-venturi-for-formula-e-season-four |website=crash.net |date=20 October 2017 |access-date=11 October 2022}}

After missing out on a drive for the 2017–18 season, Rossiter reunited with former Super Aguri technical director, Mark Preston, to drive for DS Techeetah in Formula E's first rookie test, at which he set the fifth-fastest time.

Rossiter was named as Techeetah's development driver for the 2018–19 season and, working with DS Automobiles, played a key role in the development of the team's championship-winning DS E-TENSE FE19 package.{{cite web |title=TECHEETAH Formula E Announces James Rossiter as Development Driver |url=https://www.dstecheetah.com/news/techeetah-formula-e-announces-james-rossiter-as-development-driver/ |website=dstecheetah.com |access-date=11 October 2022}} He returned to the cockpit for Formula E's 2019 rookie test and set the second-fastest time behind Nico Müller.{{cite web |last1=Kalinauckas |first1=Alex |title=Muller tops Marrakesh Formula E test for Audi |url=https://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/news/marrakesh-test-report-muller-audi/4323399/ |website=Motorsport.com |date=13 January 2019 |access-date=11 October 2022}}

Following Formula E's fifth season, Rossiter became Techeetah's reserve driver and was also appointed to the role of sporting director after the departure of predecessor Pedro de la Rosa. At the 2020 Marrakesh ePrix, Rossiter replaced full-time driver Jean-Éric Vergne for FP1, when the reigning champion was feeling unwell.{{cite web |last1=Fry |first1=Frances |title=ROSSITER SITS IN FOR VERGNE IN MARRAKESH FP1 |url=https://www.e-racing.net/2020/02/28/rossiter-sits-in-for-vergne-in-marrakesh-fp1/ |website=e-racing.net |access-date=11 October 2022}}

The team went on to win both the drivers’ and teams’ Championships in the 2019–20 season. Rossiter remained in the position of reserve driver and sporting director throughout the 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaigns before leaving the team.

On 7 October 2022, Rossiter joined Maserati MSG Racing as team principal following the departure of former team boss Jérôme d'Ambrosio and confirmed his retirement from professional driving.{{Cite web|title=Maserati MSG Racing announces James Rossiter as team principal|date=7 October 2022|url=https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2022/october/maserati-team-principal-rossiter|access-date=18 October 2022|website=FIA Formula E|language=en}} Under Rossiter's leadership, the Maserati brand scored its first world championship single-seater pole position, podium and victory since racing in Formula One in 1957.{{cite web |title=Max scores Maserati's first single-seater victory since 1957 |url=https://www.maseratimsgracing.com/news/max-scores-maseratis-first-single-seater-victory-since-1957-formula-1-german-grand-prix-maserati-msg-racing-fia-formula-e-world-championship-maximilian-gunther-edoardo-mortara-james-rossiter |website=maseratimsgracing.com |access-date=18 August 2023}}

Rossiter's role as Maserati team principal ended in October 2023.{{cite web |url=https://www.the-race.com/formula-e/maserati-formula-e-team-boss-rossiter-in-shock-pre-season-exit/ |title=Shock Pre-Season Exit For Maserati Formula E Team Boss Rossiter |last=Smith |first=Sam |date=16 October 2023 |website=the-race.com |publisher= |access-date=14 January 2024 |quote=}}

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

^‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

{{reflist}}

• {{DriverDB driver|james-rossiter}}
• [http://www.thelotusforums.com/tag/james-rossiter/ James Rossiter's news]
• [https://archive.today/20121210040817/http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/james-rossiter/28/35a/171/ James Rossiter's profile]

{{US F1 Team}}

{{Force India F1}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rossiter, James}}

Category:1983 births

Category:Living people

Category:English racing drivers

Category:British Formula Renault 2.0 drivers

Category:British Formula Three Championship drivers

Category:Formula 3 Euro Series drivers

Category:American Le Mans Series drivers

Category:World Series Formula V8 3.5 drivers

Category:European Le Mans Series drivers

Category:24 Hours of Le Mans drivers

Category:FIA World Endurance Championship drivers

Category:Super Formula drivers

Category:Super GT drivers

Category:Fortec Motorsport drivers

Category:Signature Team drivers

Category:Pons Racing drivers

Category:Andretti Autosport drivers

Category:Kolles Racing drivers

Category:TOM'S drivers

Category:Kondō Racing drivers

Category:G-Drive Racing drivers

Category:Peugeot Sport drivers

Category:TDS Racing drivers

Category:Team LeMans drivers

Category:Sportspeople from Oxford