A fourth victory of Helio Castroneves at Indy 500 has a number of explanations and factors involved. But, probably, nothing better sums up the Brazilian’s absolutely historic achievement this Sunday (30) than the reward for someone who has never, at any time, stopped believing in his own potential. More than that, the courage of a guy who, over 45 years old, took a risk for the first time in two decades in a completely unknown project.
Boldness and belief in yourself. That’s how Helio made one of the bravest decisions of his career, possibly the most. After 20 years of one of the most incredible marriages in the history of American motorsport, the Brazilian found himself out of space in the mighty Penske and had a choice to make: reposition himself in SportsCar, where he had been champion in 2020, retire or try a new team and go back to Indy. The paulista opted for the third path.
After many conversations and a closeness with McLaren, Helio signed with Meyer Shank for the second car of a team that had no more than a full season at Indy, with Jack Harvey. Unafraid of what might lie ahead, Castroneves signed a six-race deal with a team he hardly knew and that, in the end, would have to debut in the Indy 500, the main reason for that deal.
And that was how, at 46, the veteran started his new adventure, always thinking of his fourth victory in Indianapolis, all the while looking for the record of triumphs in the biggest race in the world. A short pre-season, a few tests and Helio had his days to learn the names of his teammates and create a rapport capable of being minimally competitive in the race he so longed to take again.
Then came the qualification, the Fast Nine spot and a general feeling that Castroneves had already made his mark on the Indy 500. After all, in his debut for a small team, after 20 years at Penske, the Brazilian was there starting in the first three rows . Enough, right? Well, maybe it was, but Helio wanted a lot more and knew he could go after it.
An ultra-optimistic speech in the week before the race made it clear that Helio was not thinking about a top-10, a first step in the new project, or any of that. Castroneves wanted it because he wanted the fourth Indy 500 and it had to be in 2021. It was with this attitude that the Brazilian fought tirelessly since the first laps.
The impression all along was that Helio really was someone to be considered in the dispute. The good pace was combined with safe pit-stops and a perfect riding, which knew how to mix aggressiveness with a very cerebral side, as when leaving the direct rival Álex Palou leading strategically or when holding the Catalan dancing on the straights, avoiding the vacuum ride for the Ganassi pilot.
The ending was breathtaking and there was no way it could be different. It wasn’t enough to win at 46 years old, it wasn’t enough to triumph in the debut with a modest team, it still needed to be in a lady race. And it was like that, beating Palou in the final three laps, that Castroneves took the Indy 500 home and brought down the IMS, in a World Cup final mood.
The Indy 2021 of the beautiful stories won one that deeply touched any motorsport fan. The renaissance season of Romain Grosjean, the explosion of the very talented ‘Next Gen’ and another episode of Scott Dixon x Josef Newgarden, won another chapter, possibly the most special of them.
Castroneves, incredibly, changes the level again. If it was already an indisputable legend, it gains almost immortal status. That’s the only way to describe someone who has won four times the biggest and toughest race in motor sport. AJ Foyt, Al Unser Sr. and Rick Mears, the trio that seemed unreachable, now have the company of Helio who, no doubt, goes in search of the fifth ring in 2022.
The project was to start a new story and move Meyer Shank up in a few years, possibly as a full-time starter in 2022. The reality was much tastier and the team’s first ever victory came at the best possible time, on stage most desired.
Using a poker expression, Castroneves went all-in by signing with Meyer Shank and ended up breaking the bank. The Brazilian could have dropped his performance in the final stretch of his career, the team could fail with the car, make mistakes in strategies, in the pit-stops, it would even be normal for all this to happen. But Helio always believed, always trusted in the magic that would happen in what is, indisputably, his second home.
Not knowing it was impossible, Helio went there and did it. And he did it for the fourth time, he made it to one of the most beautiful records that Brazil has ever had in the sport. Officially, Castroneves is the biggest Indianapolis has ever had.
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