Helio Castroneves Q&A
Helio Castoneves is one of five drivers heading into the IRL finale in Texas on October 12 with a chance of lifting the title. While Michael Schumacher is not quite home and dry in the World Championship, the outcome Stateside is somewhat harder to predict. Helio and Scott Dixon are equal on 467 points, Tony Kanaan has 460, and both Sam Hornish and Gil de Ferran are also still in mathematical contention. Castroneves has been a solid performer this year, although he has won only at Gateway and Nazareth, and missed out on a third Indy 500 victory. Adam Cooper caught up with the Penske man at the US GP
"Yes, very good. We were very consistent, and that's what kept us in the title hunt. There were a lot of ups and downs, and it took a long time for a win to come."
"Disappointing in terms of history. We were so close, but at the same time I was very happy for the team and very happy for my friend Gil, who came back from a huge crash and turned it around and won the race. For a split second there was disappointment, but then I forget and went to celebrate with him."
"Absolutely. Those points are always valuable as well."
"Ovals are very competitive, and you always need to position yourself in a good situation. I believe those five guys are the only ones who were able to position themselves in a winning situation. It's not so much about being the fastest guy or having and amazing driving style, it's about being patient. And the strategy of the team helps. Those things together make those five guys successful. Everybody scores points, so even if something happens you have to go back out and try to score some points."
"It's going to be really exciting. If anybody misses that race they're going to be missing a helluva show!"
"What needs to be, will be. Like this year unfortunately the Indy 500 was so close, but it wasn't meant to be, despite all the effort and time that people put in. But that's what we're doing again, making sure we cover all the weak parts and that we are as strong as ever. Last year we battled for the championship, and it would be nice to come out different..."
"No doubt about it, right now I have no interest in changing to another team. If I ask, they give me, if they ask, I deliver. I guess that's a good connection."
Taylor has first IRL run with Panther
Castroneves expecting 'war' for title
Marco Andretti to make NASCAR debut at Charlotte Roval
Marco Andretti will make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL in October.
IndyCar Nashville: McLaughlin beats Grosjean to pole
Scott McLaughlin delivered his second career pole with top qualifying time for the Big Machine Music City GP, beating a resurgent Romain Grosjean, after lightning during a rainstorm caused a 90-minute delay.
IndyCar Nashville: McLaughlin leads Penske sweep of second practice
Scott McLaughlin topped second practice for the IndyCar's Music City Grand Prix in Nashville by almost three-tenths of a second, as Team Penske drivers locked out the top three positions.
Rosenqvist: McLaren IndyCar future “all depends on the Palou case”
Felix Rosenqvist wants to stay with Arrow McLaren SP in 2023, but admits his IndyCar future is dependent on the legal wrangling surrounding Chip Ganassi Racing's Alex Palou.
How Ericsson achieved Indy immortality as Ganassi's main man stumbled
Chip Ganassi Racing team was strong again in the Indianapolis 500, with poleman Scott Dixon and reigning champion Alex Palou leading almost three quarters of the race between them. But when dominator Dixon was penalised for pitlane speeding, ex-Formula 1 driver Marcus Ericsson stepped up to score the biggest win of his career and seize the IndyCar points lead
Ranking the top 10 IndyCar drivers of 2021
In an enthralling 2021 IndyCar campaign, the series bounced back from its COVID-19 truncated year prior and Alex Palou defeated both the established order and his fellow young guns to clinch a maiden title. It capped a remarkable season with plenty of standout performers
How F1's other IndyCar exile finally unlocked his potential
Romain Grosjean's swashbuckling rookie year in IndyCar captured the imagination of many in 2021. But another ex-Formula 1 driver whose potential was masked by five years of toil in, at best, middling machinery also enjoyed a breakout year in 2021 - winning twice and finishing sixth in points. Here's how Marcus Ericsson finally delivered on his promise
How Ganassi's relentless new champion outfoxed IndyCar's best
IndyCar sophomore Alex Palou stunned by overcoming team-mate Scott Dixon and the rest of a white-hot field in 2021. He was consistently fast and crucially showed a level head, rebounding well from setbacks to put himself in a near unassailable position entering the final round
Have Harvey and RLL formed IndyCar’s next winning match-up?
Despite appearing to have an IndyCar job for life with Meyer Shank Racing, Jack Harvey’s departure and move to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing sparked plenty of debate. However, Harvey's and RLL's combined strengths could prove to be a winning combination - if they get the balance right
Remembering Dan Wheldon and his last and most amazing IndyCar win
Saturday 16 October marks the 10th anniversary of Dan Wheldon’s death. David Malsher-Lopez pays tribute, then asks Wheldon’s race engineer from 2011, Todd Malloy, to recall that magical second victory at the Indianapolis 500
Why Kyle Kirkwood is America's new IndyCar ace-in-waiting
Kyle Kirkwood, the record-setting junior formula driver, sealed the Indy Lights championship last weekend. But despite an absurdly strong junior career and scholarship money, his next move is far from clear
Why IndyCar title glory is just the start for Ganassi's new star
Newly-crowned IndyCar champion Alex Palou has been lauded as a complete driver and veteran-like in only his second season. The 24-year-old is still in the early days of his career, but the parallels are there for all to see with his six-time champion Chip Ganassi Racing team-mate who has been CGR's team leader since 2014