Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Chilton makes full-time IndyCar switch

Former Marussia F1 driver Max Chilton has made a full-time switch to IndyCar with Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2016 season.

Chilton drove for Marussia in 2013 and 2014, and was the team's only entrant in its final race at the Russian Grand Prix following Jules Bianchi's accident at Suzuka. The team entered administration after the race in Sochi and Chilton did not return when it was rekindled as Manor ahead of the 2015 season.

After a year racing in Indy Lights in the United States last year alongside Nissan's LMP1 program, Chilton will now take up an IndyCar seat for Ganassi and he says it is a dream to secure a drive for a top team.

“I couldn’t be happier to join Chip Ganassi Racing’s Verizon IndyCar Series program,” Chilton said. “This organisation is built on winning and their 11 IndyCar championships back that up. Chip is the kind of team owner that every driver dreams of working for in their career.

"He’s accomplished so much in so many different categories over the years, and I can’t wait to start driving for him.”

Ganassi says he is impressed by Chilton's experience of different cars at the age of 24, having raced in F3, GP2, F1, Indy Lights and LMP1 since 2009.

“Max is a talented young driver who has driven a number of different disciplines already in a short time," Ganassi said. "He brings a good deal of experience to our IndyCar lineup and we’re looking forward to him being part of our four-car team in 2016 and making a big contribution.”

Feature: How to fuel success in F1

F1i exclusive: Tost "more than positive" about Toro Rosso drivers

Key dates for the 2016 F1 season

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.