Roberto Merhi has said he only learned that Alexander Rossi would replace him for five of the remaining seven races once he’d arrived in Singapore this week.
The Spaniard joined the team at the beginning of the season on a race-by-race basis, and whilst the decision to replace him came as a surprise, he admitted he was thankful for the opportunity given to him by Manor Marussia.
“I flew on Monday and when I arrived, the team gave me the news I would not be driving and Rossi would be taking my place,” he said on Thursday.
“At the beginning of the year I came to Melbourne and they gave me a great chance – I didn’t know how long it would be for.
“I want to say thank you to the team. They have taken the decision which is better for them in the long run.
“I hope I’m still competitive for the last two races I have this year.”
The 24-year-old gave up his Formula Renault 3.5 seat in order to focus on F1, a decision he made just last week, and is therefore uncertain what his future might hold, with a return to F1 unlikely.
“We are looking for a Formula 1 seat and will try to find best option available,” he added.
“These days, the budget is important and at the moment it is hard to find the budget.”
