Max Chilton, born 21 April 1991 in Redhill, Surrey, is a British former racing driver who competed in Formula One from 2013 to 2014 with Marussia, before later enjoying a notable stint in the IndyCar Series (2016–2021). Chilton holds the distinction of being the first driver to finish every race in his rookie F1 season—a feat in one of the sport’s most unpredictable eras.
| Nationality | British |
|---|---|
| Born | Maximilian Alexander Chilton 21 April 1991 Redhill, Surrey, England |
The younger brother of touring car driver Tom Chilton, Max began karting at age 10 before moving through the British single-seater scene. He advanced to British Formula 3 and later to the GP2 Series, racing with Ocean Racing Technology and eventually Carlin, with whom he found greater success.
Chilton’s final GP2 season in 2012 saw him claim two wins and fourth in the standings—enough to earn a reserve role at Marussia F1, who were seeking fresh talent amid financial hurdles.
Formula One Career
Force India: 2011
In November 2011, Chilton drove for the Force India team in the Young Driver test at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit. This was his second time driving an F1 car following a straight-line aerodynamic test for the team earlier in the year.
Marussia (2012–2014)
Chilton was appointed reserve and testing driver for Marussia F1 in the second half of the 2012 season, making his practice debut at the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Just a month later, Marussia confirmed him as a full-time race driver for 2013, partnering Frenchman Jules Bianchi.
2013
Chilton made his Formula One debut at the 2013 Australian Grand Prix, qualifying 20th. Despite driving what was arguably the slowest car on the grid, he got the car home. His best finish came at Monaco, where he survived a chaotic race to finish 14th.
The most notable feature of Chilton’s rookie year was his 100% finishing record:
- 19 races, 19 finishes
- No crashes, no mechanical DNFs
- He became the first rookie in Formula One history to finish every race in a season.
Though he never scored a point, his consistency won respect across the paddock, especially as attrition was still relatively common in the V8 era.
2014
Marussia retained Chilton for 2014, a year that saw the introduction of the turbo-hybrid power units. He again performed steadily in underwhelming machinery, with two 13th-place finishes (Australia and Bahrain) as his season best.
His remarkable finishing streak ended at the 2014 Canadian Grand Prix, when he tangled with teammate Jules Bianchi on the opening lap—his first and only Formula 1 retirement. By the end of that race, Chilton had completed 25 consecutive classified race finishes, a record for a driver at the start of their career.
Tragically, Marussia’s season was derailed following Bianchi’s life-threatening crash at the Japanese Grand Prix. Financially and emotionally strained, the team folded before the season’s final rounds. Chilton, left without a seat, did not return to Formula One.
Formula One History Recommends
Post-F1
After Formula One, Chilton transitioned to IndyCar, debuting with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2016. He adapted quickly to the American series and made headlines in 2017 by leading the most laps (50) in the Indianapolis 500, ultimately finishing fourth—his best IndyCar result.
Chilton raced full-time in the series through 2019, before opting to run only road and street courses for Carlin Racing in 2020 and 2021.
Goodwood Fame
In 2022, Chilton made headlines once again—this time away from traditional motorsport—by setting the Goodwood Festival of Speed Hillclimb record. Driving the electric McMurtry Spéirling, he posted a time of 39.08 seconds, eclipsing a record that had stood for over 20 years.
Max Chilton Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 2013–2014 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Marussia F1 |
| Driver number | 4 |
| Entries | 35 (35 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 2013 Australian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 2014 Russian Grand Prix |
Max Chilton Teammates
| 5 drivers | Involvement | First Year | Last Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Pic | 1 | 2012 | |
| Timo Glock | 1 | 2012 | |
| Jules Bianchi | 34 | 2013 | 2014 |
| Rodolfo Gonzalez | 9 | 2013 | |
| Alexander Rossi | 2 | 2014 |
Complete Formula One Results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Marussia F1 Team | Marussia MR01 | Cosworth CA2012 2.4 V8 | AUS | MAL | CHN | BHR | ESP | MON | CAN | EUR | GBR | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | SIN | JPN | KOR | IND | ABU TD | USA | BRA | – | – |
| 2013 | Marussia F1 Team | Marussia MR02 | Cosworth CA2013 2.4 V8 | AUS 17 | MAL 16 | CHN 17 | BHR 20 | ESP 19 | MON 14 | CAN 19 | GBR 17 | GER 19 | HUN 17 | BEL 19 | ITA 20 | SIN 17 | KOR 17 | JPN 19 | IND 17 | ABU 21 | USA 21 | BRA 19 | 23rd | 0 | |
| 2014 | Marussia F1 Team | Marussia MR03 | Ferrari 059/3 1.6 V6 t | AUS 13 | MAL 15 | BHR 13 | CHN 19 | ESP 19 | MON 14 | CAN Ret | AUT 17 | GBR 16 | GER 17 | HUN 16 | BEL 16 | ITA Ret | SIN 17 | JPN 18 | RUS Ret | USA | BRA | ABU | 21st | 0 |
