Alexander Rossi to shun F1 return for three-year IndyCar deal

Alexander Rossi will forgo a chance at a return to Formula One by putting pen-to-paper on a new three-year IndyCar deal.

The Californian is said to be one sponsor away from signing a three-year contract extension with the joint Andretti-Herta Autosport operation. He was said to be in the frame for a drive with Team Penske but it looks as if Josef Newgraden will get the nod over him.

"Looking ahead to next year, I'd love to come back to IndyCar 100 percent," the 2016 Indy 500 winner told leading IndyCar news outlet RACER this week. "I really enjoyed the experience, albeit from the competitive side we had our challenges, and I think we worked through some of them – I'd love to be able to come back and show what we're capable of. But it's not up to me. I'm talking to Andretti, obviously, but I have some other potential options just in case."

Rossi, who spent much of his racing career in Europe, said the plan was to find a stable platform that would give him opportunities to win.

"For me the top priority has always been to have the best potential to win, but throughout my career I'm used to not having stability; in Europe, one-year deals are normal so something more than that would be great," he said. "I'm just looking for the deal that's going to put me in the best position to win and fight for a championship."