Chilton confident about his chances of staying with Marussia in 2014
Max Chilton did not necessarily impress in his first F1 season, but the Briton believes he has proven his worth, particularly in the last few races. He thus hopes to have convinced the Marussia team to keep him for the next season, although nothing is set for now.
By finishing the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last Sunday, Max Chilton set a new record for the number of consecutive finishes for a rookie in F1. The Briton completed his 17th consecutive Grand Prix (out of 17) since the start of the season, breaking the previous record held by Tiago Monteiro, who finished the first 16 Grand Prix of the season in 2005.
There are still two races left this season, and Max Chilton does not intend to stop there, as he told the official F1 website. He wants to see the checkered flag in these two Grand Prix and continue to progress, and why not match his teammate Jules Bianchi at Marussia: « The goal for the rest of the season is to make sure I finish every race – preferably ahead of the Caterhams – and to keep building my pace, which is continually improving. I may have only outqualified my teammate Jules [Bianchi] once, but I have finished ahead of him in several races – especially since the summer break. I’ve proven that I can do it; in fact, I’ve done it three times since mid-season, so I’m on a good momentum right now. »
Chilton has been labeled as a pay driver, and even though his start to the season wasn’t easy, he believes he was ready to join the F1 World Championship and has proven his worth during the 17 races he has contested so far: I came into Formula 1 and I was ready, but it takes time to understand things. Since the break, I’ve felt much more comfortable, and the car has also been better balanced so I’ve been able to show my potential. Even in India where I made a mistake in qualifying, I was able to deliver my best race afterward. So it’s mostly about being able to turn things around in a highly competitive environment.
The future of the British driver is not yet secured for 2014 – Kevin Magnussen is regularly mentioned as a strong rival for his seat next year, as Jules Bianchi has already been confirmed by the Russian team. But Chilton believes he has a good chance of continuing with Marussia: « Next year, it is very likely that I will stay with Marussia – but of course, I must sign my contract first. The team has good potential, but it is crucial that we stay ahead of Caterham in the constructors’ championship because the monetary prize we would receive represents a large percentage of our annual budget. If we secure it, we will be able to use it to have a better car next year. That would really help! It would mean we have a chance to start 2014 strong. »
