James Hinchcliffe joins Schmidt Peterson Motorsports for 2015 season

James Hinchcliffe rides his moped back to the garage area after practice for the IndyCar Series' Iowa Corn Indy 300 at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa on Friday, July 11, 2014. (AP / Charlie Neibergall)

INDIANAPOLIS -- James Hinchcliffe has signed on with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports for the 2015 IndyCar season.

The 27-year-old Canadian driver replaces Simon Pagenaud, who announced earlier that he was joining Roger Penske's team.

Hinchcliffe was the series' 2011 rookie of the year and won three races in 2013 with Andretti Autosport. Last season, Hinchcliffe made 18 starts for Michael Andretti's team and had four top-five finishes and eight top-10s. Hinchcliffe also drove for Sam Schmidt's Indy Lights team in 2009.

The move means Schmidt also will have one of the series' best-liked drivers.