Dean Stoneman has moved across to the United States to race in the Indy Lights championship in 2016 with Andretti Autosport.
The 2010 Formula 2 Champion, who was forced to rebuild his career after being diagnosed with testicular cancer when he was 20, will join Shelby Blackstock and Dalton Kellett in a three-car Andretti Autosport line-up.
Stoneman raced in 2015 in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series with DAMS having finished as runner up in the GP3 Series in 2014, but now makes the full time switch to Indy Lights, four years after a two-day test with Andretti Autosport in the series.
“I’m delighted to be racing in the U.S. this year,” said Stoneman. “We have been looking at racing here for a while now and to have finally secured a seat with Andretti in Indy Lights is a fantastic move for me.
“This season will form the first step towards racing in the Verizon IndyCar Series. One of the motivating factors of coming here is the The Mazda Road to Indy program. Rewarding success and assisting progression to the next level of the sport is great and can make a huge difference to a driver’s long-term career in racing.
“I’m now just looking forward to joining the team this week for my first test in Phoenix. I can’t wait to sample ovals for the first time and rise to the challenges ahead. I know Andretti’s commitment to success matches my desire to win and be a competitive force in the series.”
Michael Andretti, the CEO of Andretti Autosport, has welcomed Stoneman to the team and believes he is a good fit for his team in 2016 alongside Blackstock and Kellett.
“Dean is a true raw talent and has an incredible, inspirational story,” said Andretti. “I can’t think of a better fit for our Indy Lights team and the Mazda Road to Indy Program for the 2016 season.
“We look forward to working with Dean and helping to grow his career in U.S. open-wheel racing.”
