NEWTON, Iowa -- Thoughts of Formula One teammate Jules Bianchi drowned out voices on Max Chilton's radio over the final five laps of the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires race at Iowa Speedway.

Chilton competed against, learned from and quickly became friends with Bianchi during two years with the Marussia F1 team. Chilton dedicated his first victory in Indy Lights and his first since 2012 in Singapore in the GP2 Series, to Bianchi, who died July 17. He was 25. Bianchi was in a coma for nine months after a crash in an F1 race in Japan.

"I knew if he was here he would be going for that race win so I wanted to do that for him," said Chilton, who won the 100-lap race from the pole in the No. 14 Carlin entry. "I've learned a lot for him. He was a driver destined to be a world champion. For two years I was usually behind him and occasionally I would get in front and he wouldn't like it. He would find a way of being quicker.

"It's been difficult and I could never imagine this was going to happen. I dedicate this one to him.”

Verizon IndyCar Series rookie Stefano Coletti, also a friend of Bianchi, placed a decal on the front of the No. 4 KV Racing Technology Chevrolet that read, “Godspeed Jules Bianchi RIP.”

“He’ll always be with me,” Coletti said.

A moment of silence was observed during the pre-race ceremonies for the Iowa Corn 300.