Jones made an immediate impression when he steered his single-seater career stateside in 2015, claiming pole position on his debut with Carlin and winning his first three races en route to third position in the final standings.

With a season’s experience under his belt, the UAE-based driver raised his game this year and at the end of an intensely hard-fought campaign, clinched the crown.

His polished performance brought Jones to the attention of a number of IndyCar outfits, and after holding talks with several teams, the 21-year-old Briton has put pen to paper for Dale Coyne Racing – a squad with multiple victories and podium finishes to its credit.

“I’m hugely excited to be stepping up to the Verizon IndyCar Series next year with Dale Coyne Racing,” he said.

“To reach an agreement as early as we have done is great news as it gives me plenty of time to settle into the team and get to know everybody properly so we can prepare as well as possible for the season ahead.

“IndyCar has been my goal ever since I left Europe to come and race in America, and it’s crazy to think I’ll be joining the grid just two years after moving stateside. Together with my management team and sponsors, I’ve worked so hard for this opportunity and I fully intend to grab it by the scruff of the neck and make the most of it.”

Dale Coyne has a reputation within the paddock for mentoring and bringing the best out of young drivers.

Dale’s eponymously-named team has also been a happy home for a number of Britons, with Mike Conway and the late Justin Wilson having both won races for the Illinois-based operation.