Chilton and Haryanto confirmed at Marussia Carlin GP2 Team

Max Chilton and Rio Haryanto will race for the Marussia Carlin GP2 Team in the 2012 season. Chilton stays with Carlin following a productive 2011, while Indonesian racer Haryanto makes the step up from an impressive season in GP3 with Marussia Manor Racing. Both drivers will race in Marussia-branded cars following a new technical partnership between the F1 team and the Surrey based Carlin squad.

Haryanto, 19, has been part of the Marussia F1 Team Young Driver Programme for the past two years. He won GP3 races in both the 2010 and 2011 seasons, claiming seven podiums and three race wins in total. Before racing in GP3, Haryanto was 2009 BMW Pacific Champion.

“I am looking forward to my first year in the Series with the Marussia Carlin GP2 Team” said Haryanto. “Carlin is a team that has produced many championship winning drivers over the years.

“The first year in GP2 will be a steep learning curve but I will be trying to learn as much as possible and aim for consistent results. I am looking forward to the challenge. I am also grateful for the continued support from Pertamina, who have been supporting my motorsport activities.”

Team-mate Chilton continues a successful relationship with the Carlin team, which started in the British F3 International Series in 2009, a season in which the young Brit traded pole positions with now F1 racer Daniel Ricciardo. 2012 will be Chilton’s second season of GP2 with Carlin, and the 20 year-old has set himself high targets for the year ahead.

Chilton said, “I’m very excited about the season ahead in GP2. Although we didn’t get the results we’d hoped for last season, we had a very good car and I can’t wait to get back on track and build on the progress we’ve made over the winter. To be racing in Marussia livery makes the season ahead even more exciting, and as a driver I’m delighted to be associated with such a young and promising F1 team.”

Racing Director Trevor Carlin said, “First of all I’m delighted we’re able to announce a new technical partnership with the Marussia F1 Team. I look forward to a successful ongoing relationship.

“We’re extremely happy to have Max staying with us for a second season in the GP2 Series. He developed hugely as a driver in 2011 and regular podium positions should be the aim for him in 2012. Rio is an extremely welcome addition to the team. He is still very young but having watched him first hand in GP3 last year, I’m sure we’ll see some exciting racing from him this year.”

Chilton and Haryanto will be on track for the first official test of the season from
28th February to the 1st March in Jerez.