Alexander Rossi claimed he was left ‘disenchanted’ after talks to join Haas for its debut F1 season failed to materialize.
Rossi is the final American driver to race in Formula One, having made five appearances with Manor Marussia near the end of the 2015 season.
In 2012 and 2013, the driver worked for Caterham as a test and reserve driver before joining Marussia in mid-2014.
As Haas was making preparations to enter the Formula 1 grid in 2016, a link was swiftly established between Rossi and the American-owned team, with negotiations reportedly taking place.
However, Rossi explained why no agreement was reached in an interwiew on the Beyond the Grid podcast.
“There were some conversations and then, in Monza of 2015, without mincing any words, it was basically, from management, ‘We are not interested in you’,” said Rossi.
“We don’t think any Americans are qualified to race in Formula 1 at this point and you are best to go off and go your own way.”
“That was the conversation. The Haas conversations were very short and to the point.”
“There is no violin that I look for, it’s just a part of the sport and ultimately the thing that…if I had to say I had a problem with something, it is purely just that there are commitments and there were things that were said and done with Haas that ultimately didn’t happen for one reason or another.”
“That is the disenchanting thing about it but that is the way that life goes and the way life works.”
Rossi also revealed Formula 1 is as brutal as Indycar claiming that to compete in any category requires drivers to bring a significant amount of financial backing.
Comparing his F1 experience to IndyCar, the 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner reflected: “But we see it over here in The States and in IndyCar.
“It is to a lesser scale, obviously, but the budgets are much less so it all makes sense.
“But ultimately, we haven’t seen an American in a Haas car in seven years. Forget me, they haven’t put anyone in.”
