INDYCAR: Chilton encouraged after first test

New Chip Ganassi Racing driver Max Chilton turned his first laps in an IndyCar at Sonoma Raceway on Wednesday, and contrasted the experience to piloting the Marussia Formula 1 car or Indy Lights chassis he's used in recent years.

"It's a serious bit of kit. A lot more downforce than I'm used to," Chilton told RACER after his first morning of testing the Dallara DW12-Chevy package. "They're not overly powerful. The brakes are not great, but the actual downforce allows you to brake well. I've only done probably 25 laps but I've already experienced the speed. I'm already up to speed, which is a nice sign. I wasn't expecting to be here so quickly. Amazing bit of kit; I think it makes it feel even faster than it is because of the track."

Chilton posted lap times within one second of his teammate, defending IndyCar Series champion and 2015 Sonoma Raceway polesitter/winner Scott Dixon. The test also presented Chilton with his first taste of the 2.2-mile, 11-turn road course nestled in the Northern California hills.

"There's not much room for error here; it's a lot of undulating hills, high-speed corners," he said. "It's a challenging place to get used to a car, but if I can get used to it here than I should be able to get used to it anywhere."

According to Chilton, the track's old-world feel added to the sensation of driving a twin-turbo V6-powered Dallara-Chevy.

"It feels very Seventies to me, but it makes the overall experience a little more adrenalin-rushing and when you nail a lap around here, it's amazing because you're turning in blind to apexes, exit curbs you can't see until you feel the vibration of it," he added. "If you're really happy with a lap around here, you know it's a good lap. Hopefully we'll have some success here at the end of the year."

The Sonoma outing also gave Chilton and his former Nissan LMP1 colleague Brandon Fry a chance to start their relationship as driver and engineer on the No. 8 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevy.

"We worked together on the Nissan program," he said. "He was put right up against it with the Nissan because there was not a great deal you could do with it. I've heard great things about what he's done in the past, He's got great attention to detail, and I think he's the perfect engineer for me in my rookie year."