INDIANAPOLIS, IN (AP)—IndyCar rookie of the year James Hinchcliffe was hired Tuesday to drive for Andretti Autosport in the 2012 season.

The 25-year-old Canadian will take over the team’s Go Daddy entry, which was left vacant when Danica Patrick jumped to NASCAR in October.

The team had previously reached agreement with Dan Wheldon to take Patrick’s place late last season before Wheldon was killed in the season-ending race at Las Vegas.

After posting three top-five finishes and seven top-10s with Newman-Haas Racing in 2011, edging out Indy 500 runner-up JR Hildebrand for rookie of the year, Hinchcliffe now joins one of the best-funded and most successful teams in IndyCar.

Andretti’s drivers have won three points titles and two Indy 500s, though the last of those big wins came in 2007.

Hinchcliffe faces the tall task of replacing Patrick, IndyCar’s most marketable driver. But Andretti said the team ranked all of the world’s available open-wheel drivers in a variety of categories and Hinchcliffe came out on top.

“James is a perfect fit. He came out No. 1 (overall) on all the available rankings,” said John Lopes, Andretti’s chief marketing officer.

What really made the sale to Go Daddy, though, was Hinchcliffe’s affability. His strong online following and charming personality were exactly what company officials thought they needed to keep the momentum in the post-Danica era.

“James is tech-savvy, fast, got a good, large online presence and is that right, edgy personality we think will work,” Lopes said. “By all signs, Go Daddy seems very happy with him.”

Hinchcliffe was preparing for a second season at Newman-Haas Racing until team co-owner Carl Haas made a surprise announcement on Dec. 1 that he wouldn’t compete in IndyCar in 2012.

Suddenly, the rising Canadian star was a free agent, and after enduring a range of emotions over the past several weeks, Hinchcliffe finally landed in a spot where he feels right at home.

“I’ve known Marco (Andretti) since we were 13 years old, and Ryan (Hunter-Reay) is one of the easiest guys to get along with in the paddock,” Hinchcliffe said. “It’s a strong lineup and it’s a perfect fit.”

Hinchcliffe may not be the only one trying to fit in with Andretti’s team this season.

Andretti has traditionally run four cars and still has one open seat in the lineup. The team hasn’t provided details about who might fill the spot, but adding Hinchcliffe should help.

“He will definitely grow and thrive with Andretti Autosport,” team owner Michael Andretti said. “Even in his rookie year in IndyCar, he proved to be a great competitor. I look forward to seeing what he is capable of in the next few months.”