Wednesday 13th December 2017

First British team set to enter IndyCar

The British are coming, as Carlin aims to take on the US at its own game

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Surrey-based racing team Carlin has announced it will compete in IndyCar next year. The outfit is most widely known for its success in Formula 3 - where it has won nine championships - and GP2, with drivers including Nico Rosberg, Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel having passed through its ranks.

It'll be another Carlin graduate taking the wheel in 2018 though, with former F1 driver Max Chilton now signing for the team. The Brit had spells with Carlin, of which his father Grahame is co-owner and CEO, in both F3 and GP2, also making 14 starts for them in development series Indy Lights in 2015. This won't be his first taste of the big time though, having spent the last two years racing for Chip Ganassi in IndyCar proper, finishing fourth in the Indy 500 last season after leading for 50 laps.

He'll be partnered in his new role by his old team-mate, American driver Charlie Kimball, with whom he spent time at Ganassi. There's plenty of familiarity and experience floating around the new team, then, giving them every confidence that they know what to expect heading into their maiden season. Speaking about the new set up, team principal Trevor Carlin said, "By no means do we underestimate the challenge and competition that lies ahead, but I have great faith in the young and passionate team that our team manager Colin [Hale] and I have put together."

The team will be competing using the Dallara DW12 chassis paired with a Chevrolet engine and wrapped in the new, very smart, Universal Aero Kit. We look forward to seeing how they get on!

[GP2 photos: LAT photo]

[bobo79]

'First British team set to enter IndyCar'

Apart from Lotus, then. Or Mclaren.

[knighty]

Wow Max chilton "signs" for Carlin.......the team that his father purchased several years ago and still owns......what a "signing" that is, phenomenal........I can imagine the likes Sato, Kanan, Hunter-reay Power, Fittipaldi, Castroneves are quaking in their boots at the prospect of racing against one of F1's greats.......hold on a moment????

[supacool1]

bobo79 said:

'First British team set to enter IndyCar'

Apart from Lotus, then. Or Mclaren.

[Loyly]

[Dave Hedgehog]

bobo79 said:

'First British team set to enter IndyCar'

Apart from Lotus, then. Or Mclaren.

did they run complete seasons ? and with a british driver?

[G321]

knighty said:

Wow Max chilton "signs" for Carlin.......the team that his father purchased several years ago and still owns......what a "signing" that is, phenomenal........I can imagine the likes Sato, Kanan, Hunter-reay Power, Fittipaldi, Castroneves are quaking in their boots at the prospect of racing against one of F1's greats.......hold on a moment????

As soon as it was announced that Chilton wouldn't be with chip Ganassi next season it was announced that Carlin was looking into an entry. I doubt it was a coincidence....

[99dndd]

bobo79 said:

'First British team set to enter IndyCar'

Apart from Lotus, then. Or Mclaren.

"To enter Indycar as a full season entry" would be more accurate.

I think McLaren would have still been New Zealand registered when they last ran full time.

Unless you're talking about post-split IndyCar, which is a whole different kettle of fish.

Still, should be fun.

[Fastdruid]

bobo79 said:

'First British team set to enter IndyCar'

Apart from Lotus, then. Or Mclaren.

I think you are thinking of the CART Indy Car / CHAMP?

It's confusing as hell but IndyCar formed in 1994 as a competitor to CART started in 1996 or so and then effectively took over as CART went bankrupt.

So I think it's technically correct that it's the first British team...but only by ignoring the previous racing series that was effectively identical.

[FourWheelDrift]

Dave Hedgehog said:

bobo79 said:

'First British team set to enter IndyCar'

Apart from Lotus, then. Or Mclaren.

did they run complete seasons ? and with a british driver?

It has only been officially called the Indycar series since 1996. Before that it was the Champcar World Series, Indy Racing league and CART. And Lotus and McLaren competed in the USAC (United States Auto Club) series until it became CART in 1979.

[bristolracer]

I wish them the best of luck.

[knighty]

G321 said:

As soon as it was announced that Chilton wouldn't be with chip Ganassi next season it was announced that Carlin was looking into an entry. I doubt it was a coincidence....

yeah, because Ginassi realized he was nothing special and dropped him, even though he was paying for his drive.......so he must have been especially crap......but daddy took care of it with his own team Carlin

[blue al]

So who did march and raynard build cars for... the flinstones ?
With the help of coswoth and UK plc their lot have pretty much provided half the grid for champ and Indy cars for most of of the 70's and 80's

False news....?

[FourWheelDrift]

blue al said:

So who did march and raynard build cars for... the flinstones ?
With the help of coswoth and UK plc their lot have pretty much provided half the grid for champ and Indy cars for most of of the 70's and 80's

False news....?

TEAM not supplier.

[Harji]

Max Chilton was on R4 this morning, biggin up IndyCar against F1, all I thought was 'he's not a great driver, wonder how he blagged this gig' , of course I should have known.

[sgtBerbatov]

Harji said:

Max Chilton was on R4 this morning, biggin up IndyCar against F1, all I thought was 'he's not a great driver, wonder how he blagged this gig' , of course I should have known.

He can't be that bad of a driver if he finished 4th at Indy.

And, while I'm not an expert on IndyCars, the Indy 500 was the best piece of racing I've watched on TV in at least the last 3 years of F1.

[MG CHRIS]

sgtBerbatov said:

Harji said:

Max Chilton was on R4 this morning, biggin up IndyCar against F1, all I thought was 'he's not a great driver, wonder how he blagged this gig' , of course I should have known.

He can't be that bad of a driver if he finished 4th at Indy.

And, while I'm not an expert on IndyCars, the Indy 500 was the best piece of racing I've watched on TV in at least the last 3 years of F1.

Don't get the hate for the chilton brothers yes his dad owns a team and founded large parts of both racing careers but not like they are the only one's to do it. Good luck to the team and max for next year.