Helio has no Hornish gripe

Reigning IRL champion Scott Dixon told autosport.com last week that "Sam and Helio don't like each other", but Castroneves insists he has no problem with Hornish - although he also admits that he didn't always get on with former team-mate Gil de Ferran either.

"Well, everybody doesn't remember very well, but at the beginning of 2000, Gil and I were not buddies or friends because we were competitors," said Castroneves. "But I guess it's a relationship that depends if both want it to happen. Gil was from my country, and we spoke the same language and had the same culture. We were able to understand each other no problem. With Sam now, we fought two years on the championship and stuff like that.

"First of all, he's not on Team Penske because he's lucky. He's on Team Penske because he's talented, and he's a two-time champion. He definitely knows what he is doing. I guess with that, I have a lot to learn with him. He's fast and wants to win races.

"He does have a different personality than me. He's a little quieter. I guess that's his way. We all are trying to know him better, and I hear he's also trying to know the entire Marlboro Team Penske better. So I don't have any issue so far with him, and I do think that I have a lot to learn with him. Hopefully, the information that he got in the past might help the entire team."

When asked if he could coax Hornish out of his shell a little, Castroneves slipped slightly in his reply: "Give me a little time, and hopefully, he's going to turn out to be all right...which he already is."