24h Le Mans
Driver of the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO (LM P1) at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans, Max Chilton dedicated his first win in American single-seaters to his former teammate Jules Bianchi who passed away in the night between July 17th and 18th.
Before entering endurance and joining Nissan as an LM P1 factory driver in 2015, the British driver spent two seasons as Jules Bianchi's teammate in Formula 1 with the Marussia team. He also set out for the U.S. and the Indy Lights single-seaters series, a stepping stone to IndyCar, in which he won on Saturday his first victory at the oval Iowa Speedway circuit, after starting from pole position. A win he dedicated to Jules Bianchi: "I learned a lot from him. He was a driver destined to probably be a world champion."
Grand-nephew of Lucien Bianchi, winner at the 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans, Jules Bianchi succumbed to his injuries after a nine-month coma following an accident at the 2014 Grand Prix of Japan. His funeral will take place Tuesday, July 21st.
Max Chilton is expected at the wheel of the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO at the 6 Hours of Nürburgring, the fourth round of the World Endurance Championship on August 30th.
Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO
(Quotation from Indy Lights press release)
Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, WEDNESDAY JUNE 10 2015, FREE PRACTICE AND QUALIFYING. After two seasons as Jules Bianchi's teammate in Formula 1, Max Chilton transitioned to endurance and American single-seaters.
