Ed Jones, who recorded three consecutive victories to start the 2015 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires season and placed third in the championship standings, will return for a second year in the top rung of the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system with Carlin.
Jones, 20, who was born in Dubai, earned two podium finishes in the 2014 FIA Formula 3 European Championship with Carlin. He joined Max Chilton as drivers of Carlin’s first season in Indy Lights in 2015.
“Continuity isn’t something which you get to enjoy too often in junior motor racing, but when you can achieve it for sure it is a help,” said Jones, the 2013 European F3 Open champion. “Both the team and I know each other very well. I have built a good understanding with the engineers and I feel we work well together. We all have a season under our belt now and we have all raised the bar and will be pushing very hard for more success in 2016.
“The goal for 2016 is to win the Indy Lights championship. I learnt a huge amount in 2015 and feel that I have a great base to go for the championship in 2016. I have a great relationship with my team Carlin and I believe in them completely. Carlin as a team have achieved a great deal but they haven’t won a championship in U.S. motor racing and I want to be the driver who delivers that.
“I have really enjoyed my year of racing in the U.S. and I am very happy to be focussing my career there. Testing an IndyCar with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (in August at Sonoma Raceway) was an amazing experience for me, and one that is really inspiring me to succeed in 2016.”
Jones added four podium finishes to his race wins and earned three pole starts in the 16-race season. Chilton won at Iowa Speedway and also earned three poles in placing fifth in the standings.
“We’re delighted that Ed remains with the team for the 2016 season,” Carlin racing director Trevor Carlin said. “He showed great faith in moving over from Europe with us for our first season in Indy Lights and demonstrated to everyone how competitive he was in winning the first three races of the season.
“In his rookie season in the U.S. and having never visited most of the tracks before, Ed did a spectacular job to still be in contention for the title at the season finale. With a season of Indy Lights behind us there are undoubtedly things that team and driver have learnt together and we aim to put these lessons to good use in 2016 with the title clearly being the aim.”