Chaves: “I am here to win, even as a rookie”

At the age of 21, Gabby Chaves has very clear ambitions for his first year in the top division of North American single-seater championships. With the known challenges of attracting sponsors, he probably has only one chance to prove that he has his place in IndyCar.

The Beginnings

Gabby started competing in Florida in 2005. He quickly demonstrated natural abilities by winning karting and single-seater championships in his first participations. In 2009, he won the Formula BMW Americas before trying his luck in Europe.

The attempt in Europe

In 2010, he competed in the Italian Formula 3 Championship. He won the Rookie of the Year award with a 10th place in the overall standings. His performances caught the attention of Team Addax. The Spanish team offered him a seat in the GP3 Series for the following season, but the experience did not go as he had hoped: « On 50% of the races, I wasn’t able to finish due to mechanical issues ». Nevertheless, he tries to take the positives from this experience to bounce back: « Every year of experience I’ve had has been positive. Racing in F3 and GP3 in Europe at the ages of 16 and 17 was difficult, but it helped me mature a lot. It made me very strong mentally, and I was able to use that to my advantage upon my return to America. »

The Return

Back on the American continent, Gabby Chaves takes second place overall in the Star Mazda Championship. The following year, he finishes as the runner-up in the Indy Lights, with 10 podiums including 1 victory, driving a single-seater for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.

At the beginning of 2014, the Colombian made two appearances in Endurance racing, driving the surprising Delta Wing. He re-entered Indy Lights and this time won the championship with 11 podiums, including 4 victories.

The transition to IndyCar proves to be more difficult. A certain number of parameters must be met to obtain the precious entry: « Winning the title in Indy Lights helped me a lot in my transition to IndyCar, but it was still a very hard, very difficult process. Most teams don’t want to take the risk of running a rookie, so unless you bring a big check, opportunities are very slim. »

Sesame

He lands, with his title in hand and his $750,000 scholarship, a trial with the team led by former driver Bryan Herta: « Fortunately, in my case, I managed to do a successful test with Bryan Herta Autosport in December », his adaptation to the higher category was quite quick: « There’s more power, more aerodynamic downforce, more grip, but the concept remains the same ».

The funding for the Indy Lights champion ensures participation in 4 races, including the Indy 500, but presence in the entire championship is not guaranteed: « With their sponsors [at Bryan Herta Autosport] and my scholarship, we were able to set up a good program for 2015. »

For the upcoming season, his goal is quite clear: « Fighting for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year title would be a good goal, but ultimately I am here to win, even as a rookie. »