Alexander Rossi Bio
Alexander Michael “Alex” Rossi, born on September 25, 1991, is an American racing driver competing in the IndyCar Series. He drives the No. 20 car for Ed Carpenter Racing and is best known for winning the Indianapolis 500 as a rookie in 2016 with Bryan Herta Autosport. Rossi also competed in Formula One, racing in five Grands Prix during the 2015 season for the Manor Marussia F1 Team.
Over the course of his career, Rossi has built a versatile résumé that spans open-wheel single-seaters, endurance sports cars, off-road events, and Australian Supercars. He captured the overall victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2021 with Wayne Taylor Racing, adding a major endurance crown to his Indianapolis 500 triumph.
Early Life and Background
Rossi was born on September 25, 1991, in Auburn, California, and grew up in nearby Nevada City. He came from a Christian family and has described his faith as a central influence throughout his life, citing his parents and grandmother as key role models. As a child, he often woke at 4 a.m. on Sunday mornings to watch Formula One races broadcast from Europe.
He graduated from Forest Lake Christian High School in Auburn at the age of 16 so that he could begin pursuing a racing career in Europe. Rossi is a longtime fan of the New England Patriots, a connection he traces back to the early 2000s when he was living overseas and the team’s games were among the few NFL broadcasts available to him.
Path to NASCAR
Rossi’s path to professional motorsports began in karting and Formula BMW USA, where he became the youngest winner in Skip Barber National Championship history at 14. He moved to Europe as a teenager and climbed the single-seater ladder through International Formula Master, the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, and the GP3 Series, where he won twice with ART Grand Prix in 2010.
He progressed into the GP2 Series, finishing second overall in 2015 with Racing Engineering. After serving as a test and reserve driver for Caterham F1 and Marussia F1, Rossi made his Formula One debut at the 2015 Singapore Grand Prix. When a full-time Formula One seat did not materialize, he returned to the United States and joined Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series for the 2016 season.
Alexander Rossi Career
Early Career (2006–2014)
Rossi burst onto the American single-seater scene by winning the Skip Barber National Scholarship in 2006 and finishing third overall in the championship, becoming its youngest winner at age 14. He followed that by winning the 2008 Formula BMW Americas championship with EuroInternational and then the Formula BMW World Final in Mexico City, a victory that earned him a Formula One test with BMW Sauber.
After relocating to Europe, Rossi raced in the International Formula Master, the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, the GP3 Series, and the GP2 Series. He joined Caterham F1 as a test driver for 2012 and later served as a reserve driver for both Caterham and Marussia. During this period he also made his first 24 Hours of Le Mans start with Greaves Motorsport in 2013 and his 24 Hours of Daytona debut with the DeltaWing team in 2014.
IndyCar Series Breakthrough (2016–2022)
Rossi made his IndyCar debut at the 2016 Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, but the defining moment of his rookie season came at the Indianapolis 500. Starting 11th, he took the lead in the closing laps as the cars ahead of him ran low on fuel, then coasted across the line on empty and had to be towed to victory lane. He was named the series’ Rookie of the Year and Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year.
He returned to Andretti Autosport on a multi-year deal and added his second career victory at Watkins Glen International in 2017. The 2018 and 2019 seasons were his strongest, finishing second and third in the Drivers’ Championship, respectively, with notable wins at Long Beach, Mid-Ohio, Pocono, and Road America. He also placed a close second at the 2019 Indianapolis 500.
After two winless seasons in 2020 and 2021, Rossi broke his 49-race winless drought by taking the Gallagher Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course in July 2022. He departed Andretti Autosport at the end of that year, finishing tenth in the standings after seven seasons with the team.
Arrow McLaren Era (2023–2024)
Rossi joined Arrow McLaren SP for the 2023 IndyCar Series campaign and immediately showed competitive pace, opening the year with a fourth-place finish at St. Petersburg. He earned his first podium with the team at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and qualified seventh for the Indianapolis 500, where he finished fifth as the only McLaren driver to reach the finish.
His title challenge faded through the second half of the season, and he was involved in incidents at Toronto, Nashville, and Portland that cost him valuable points. Rossi ended the year ninth in the Drivers’ Championship standings, the third time in four seasons he had finished in that position. In July 2024, he announced he would leave Arrow McLaren at the end of the season.
Ed Carpenter Racing Era (2025–Present)
On September 25, 2024, Ed Carpenter Racing announced the signing of Rossi to drive the No. 20 Chevrolet for the 2025 IndyCar Series season, replacing Rinus VeeKay. The move reunited him with team owner Ed Carpenter and gave Rossi a fresh start after two seasons with Arrow McLaren.
Rossi’s 2025 Indianapolis 500 came to an early end when his car caught fire in the pits on lap 73, forcing him to retire from the race. He continues to compete for Ed Carpenter Racing with the goal of returning to victory lane and contending for the Drivers’ Championship.
Driving Style and Strengths
Rossi is regarded as a well-rounded driver who is competitive on both road courses and ovals, with particular strength on permanent road circuits such as Watkins Glen, Long Beach, Mid-Ohio, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. His calm, fuel-saving race craft was on full display during the 2016 Indianapolis 500, and he has built a reputation for executing alternate fuel and tire strategies to maximize results on longer runs.
Notable Races and Milestones
Beyond his Indianapolis 500 victory, Rossi’s signature moments include his first IndyCar win at the 2016 Indianapolis 500, his breakthrough road-course win at Watkins Glen in 2017, dominant victories at Long Beach and Road America in 2019, and his drought-ending Gallagher Grand Prix triumph in 2022. He also won the 24 Hours of Daytona overall in 2021 with Wayne Taylor Racing and made a one-off Bathurst 1000 appearance in 2019 alongside James Hinchcliffe.
Alexander Rossi Career Wins
Rossi has accumulated victories across IndyCar, the developmental GP2 and GP3 Series, Formula BMW, and endurance sports car racing. His most prestigious wins are the 2016 Indianapolis 500 and the 2021 24 Hours of Daytona, both secured through patient, strategy-driven drives. He has also added multiple road-course and oval wins in the IndyCar Series.
IndyCar Series Highlights
Rossi’s first IndyCar Series victory came at the 2016 Indianapolis 500 with Bryan Herta Autosport. He added wins at Watkins Glen in 2017, Long Beach and Mid-Ohio and Pocono in 2018, Long Beach and Road America in 2019, and the Gallagher Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in 2022, which ended a 49-race winless streak.
Other Wins and Performances
In endurance racing, Rossi co-drove the No. 10 Acura ARX-05 from Wayne Taylor Racing to the overall win at the 2021 24 Hours of Daytona alongside Hélio Castroneves, Ricky Taylor, and Filipe Albuquerque. Earlier in his career he won races in the International Formula Master, the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, the GP3 Series, the GP2 Series, and the Formula BMW Americas championship.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| IndyCar Series | 7 | Multiple | Multiple |
| GP2 Series | 4 | Multiple | Multiple |
| GP3 Series | 2 | Multiple | Multiple |
| Formula BMW Americas | 10 | Multiple | Multiple |
Alexander Rossi Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Rossi comes from a close Christian family and has frequently credited his parents and grandmother as foundational influences in both his racing career and personal life. He moved to Europe as a teenager to pursue single-seater racing, a decision his family supported as he progressed from karting through the junior open-wheel ladder.
Personal Life
Rossi has served as a TAG Heuer ambassador alongside former NFL quarterback Tom Brady and co-hosts the podcast “Off Track with Hinch and Rossi” with fellow IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe. He is a Protestant Christian and has spoken publicly about his faith, including a 2017 appearance at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ “Nights of Champions” program.
2025 Season Performance
Rossi’s 2025 campaign marks his first full season with Ed Carpenter Racing after signing with the team on September 25, 2024, his 33rd birthday. Driving the No. 20 Chevrolet, he entered the season looking to rebuild momentum following two inconsistent years with Arrow McLaren and a return to a single-car operation that allows him to focus closely on his own program.
The 2025 Indianapolis 500 was a difficult outing, as Rossi was forced to retire on lap 73 when his car caught fire in the pits, ending his race well short of the finish. The result leaves him focused on bouncing back across the remaining road-course and oval rounds and reestablishing himself as a weekly contender in the IndyCar Series.