FA: Lewis: I'm aiming for the title.

Ryan Lewis is targeting the title as he embarks on his first full season in the Champ Car Atlantic Series with reigning champions Walker Racing.

Having shown flashes of speed over the course of 2006 when a late deal with Mi-Jack Conquest saw him race from the fourth round of the year, Lewis has been signed to partner Simona De Silvestro for 2007 in the team that scored the drivers' title with Simon Pagenaud.

With the championship winning team behind him, the former British Formula Three driver may not be underestimating the challenge for the coming season, but he is still setting himself the highest possible expectations, claiming he can be quick out of the box and challenge for the title straight away.

"The championship is what I am going to be aiming for," he told Crash.net Radio. "I am going to be winning this championship, although I know what the depth of the field is and I know from experience you will not have the best car every weekend.

"I want to finish strong because as, Simon Pagenaud showed this year, he only won one race but he was barely outside the top five, so as long as you finish strong every weekend of the year, then you are going to be in contention for at least top three. I am going to be there at the end of the year fighting for the $2 million.

Other than last year's success, Lewis cited Walker Racing's long history of racing in the United States as another key reason for his decision to sign with them, not least because it gives him a direct link to the squad's 'Team Australia' outfit in the Champ Car World Series.

"Walker Racing is a prolific Champ Car and Indy Car team, have been very successful in the past and they have a great reputation in the sport. When you look at Atlantics, you look immediately at the prolific teams as being Forsythe and Walker Racing

"After all, Champ Car is where I want to be. I think the series is on its way up with a new car and lots of exciting events, so there is a to more interest gathering around Champ Car now, so I think it will only get stronger and stronger."