Photo: Zak Mauger/GP2 Series Media Service
Seven-time GP2 Series race-winner Stefano Coletti has clinched a deal to race in IndyCar this year.
The Monegasque driver has secured a seat at KV Racing alongside ex-Formula 1 racer Sebastien Bourdais.
Coletti, 26 next month, makes the move to the United States after a ten-year spell in the European junior single-seater ranks.
“I’ve always wanted to race in IndyCar and have the opportunity to live overseas,” said Coletti. “It’s a great championship and the competition is very high.”
A successful karter, he beat Jules Bianchi and James Calado to win the European junior title in 2004 and stepped up to car racing the following year, competing in Formula BMW ADAC as a member of the Red Bull Junior Team.
Fourth in Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 in 2007, he then moved up to F3, though he was dropped by Red Bull after two rounds. Tenth in the Euro Series in 2009, he also made his GP2 debut before contesting the Formula Renault 3.5 Series in 2010, finishing sixth.
In his first full season of GP2 in 2011 for Trident he claimed two victories and finished 11th overall before a difficult 2012 with Coloni. With Rapax in 2013 he won three times from the first four rounds and led the standings, but he then failed to score in the last 11 races, slumping to fifth.
Last year he finished sixth for Racing Engineering, winning his final race in Abu Dhabi before his IndyCar switch.